The hidden threat: Abandoned coal mine methane emissions in the EU

A June 2024 briefing by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) examines methane emissions from abandoned coal mines in the European Union (EU), highlighting significant data gaps and the potential for substantial unreported emissions. The report estimates that underground mines closed since 2015 could emit approximately 200 kilotonnes of methane per year, with Poland identified as the largest contributor.

• Methane emissions from active coal mines in EU coal-producing countries are estimated at 1,721 million cubic meters (MCM) per year. This figure is 36% higher than estimates from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and 32% higher than the 907 kilotonnes (kt) officially reported by the EU to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2023.
• Underground coal mines in the EU that closed between 2015 and 2023 could collectively emit approximately 200 kt (or 298 MCM) of methane per year, assuming the mines are dry. This volume is compared to the potential emissions from the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak.
• Poland is the EU's largest emitter of abandoned mine methane (AMM), releasing an estimated 110 MCM. Poland has the highest number of abandoned underground coal mines in the EU (16 out of 53 total), and its emissions account for nearly 40% of the EU's total AMM emissions.
• A small number of sites drive the majority of emissions; just six mines are responsible for half of the methane emissions (152 MCM or 102 kt) from all abandoned underground mines captured in the report. These mines are located in Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic.
• There is significant uncertainty in emission estimates because over 60% of abandoned underground mines in the dataset have an unknown status regarding whether they are flooded or dry. Flooding typically reduces methane emissions significantly, with flooded mines often ceasing emissions within a decade.
• The primary drivers for coal mine closures in the EU are government policies and economic constraints. Specifically, 24 of 70 closures between 2015 and 2023 were caused by government intervention, such as the end of subsidies in Germany or Spain's Coal Mining Closure Plan.

APA

Global Energy Monitor (2024). The hidden threat: Abandoned coal mine methane emissions in the EU. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-EU-Abandoned-Mine-Methane-June-2024-_11.pdf

Chicago

Global Energy Monitor. The hidden threat: Abandoned coal mine methane emissions in the EU. 2024. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-EU-Abandoned-Mine-Methane-June-2024-_11.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Energy Monitor |title=The hidden threat: Abandoned coal mine methane emissions in the EU |date=June 2024 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-EU-Abandoned-Mine-Methane-June-2024-_11.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalenergymonitor2024hidden, author = {{Global Energy Monitor}}, title = {{The hidden threat: Abandoned coal mine methane emissions in the EU}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2024}, month = jun, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM-EU-Abandoned-Mine-Methane-June-2024-_11.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }