Satellite analysis identifies 40% more methane from Australian coal mines

A report by Ember using TROPOMI satellite data and wind-rotation methods reveals that fugitive methane emissions from Australian coal mines are significantly higher than officially reported. The analysis, covering six mining clusters, found that emissions in 2020 were at least 40% higher than national reports, with particularly severe underreporting in New South Wales.

• Satellite analysis of six coal mining clusters, which represent 79% of Australia's black coal production and over 90% of its metallurgical coal production, found that fugitive methane emissions in 2020 were at least 40% higher than the 1.01 million tonnes officially reported by the National Greenhouse Accounts.
• In New South Wales (NSW), satellite estimates identified fugitive methane levels significantly higher than official reports for two consecutive years: 90% higher in 2020 and 106% higher in 2021, despite the study only covering 60% to 64% of the state's coal production.
• The report identifies a significant discrepancy in Queensland, where 2020 satellite data indicated emissions of 0.69  0.12 Mt of methane, which is 11% more than the total reported fugitive emissions for the state's coal mines, even though only four sub-regions were modelled.
• There is evidence of severe underreporting at specific sites, such as the Hail Creek mine. Satellite analysis and aircraft measurements (including LIDAR mapping) have estimated emissions at this site to be between 2.4 and 12.9 times higher than reported values.
• The shift from state-based emissions factors (Method 1) to company-led, site-specific estimates (Method 2) has led to a reduction in officially reported emissions. In NSW, 75% of open-cut coal mine emissions are now reported using Method 2, while in Queensland, only 25% use this approach.
• The high level of uncertainty in metallurgical coal emissions may impact international steel supply chains, particularly for Australian exporters seeking access to European markets.

APA

Wright, C., Setiawan, D., & Shannon, S. (2025). Satellite analysis identifies 40% more methane from Australian coal mines. Ember. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/04/Report-Satellite-analysis-identifies-40-more-methane-from-Australian-coal-mines.pdf

Chicago

Wright, Chris, Dody Setiawan, and Sarah Shannon. Satellite analysis identifies 40% more methane from Australian coal mines. Ember, 2025. https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/04/Report-Satellite-analysis-identifies-40-more-methane-from-Australian-coal-mines.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Wright |first1=Chris |last2=Setiawan |first2=Dody |last3=Shannon |first3=Sarah |title=Satellite analysis identifies 40% more methane from Australian coal mines |publisher=Ember |date=16 April 2025 |url=https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/04/Report-Satellite-analysis-identifies-40-more-methane-from-Australian-coal-mines.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wright2025satellite, author = {Wright, Chris and Setiawan, Dody and Shannon, Sarah}, title = {{Satellite analysis identifies 40\% more methane from Australian coal mines}}, institution = {Ember}, year = {2025}, month = apr, url = {https://ember-energy.org/app/uploads/2025/04/Report-Satellite-analysis-identifies-40-more-methane-from-Australian-coal-mines.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }