SIZING UP COAL MINE METHANE

Global Energy Monitor (GEM) finds that operating coal mines emit 52.3 million tonnes of methane per year, exceeding IEA estimates for oil and gas. The analysis identifies China, specifically Shanxi province, as the primary source of these emissions. GEM warns that proposed mine projects could add another 11.3 million tonnes annually, effectively locking in emissions equivalent to the coal-based CO2 emissions of the United States. To meet Net Zero 2030 targets, the report argues for a faster coal phase-out and the cancellation of new projects, as current mitigation measures are often insufficient or circumvented.

• Operating coal mines emit 52.3 million tonnes of methane annually, which is higher than IEA assessments for oil (39 million tonnes) and gas (45 million tonnes). This translates to 1,560–4,320 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent (CO2e) emissions per year over 100-year and 20-year timeframes, respectively.
• China is the largest emitter of coal mine methane, with its mines accounting for 73% of global emissions (38.4 million tonnes per year). Shanxi province alone emits 13.1 million tonnes, which is roughly equal to the combined emissions of the rest of the world (13.8 million tonnes).
• There are 465 new mines or expansions under development that could emit an additional 11.3 million tonnes of methane per year. This potential increase is equivalent to 936 Mt of CO2e20, exceeding the short-term climate impact of the United States' coal-based CO2 emissions (888.65 Mt CO2 in 2020).
• To remain consistent with the IEA's Net Zero 2030 roadmap, coal mine methane emissions must decrease by 11% every year until 2030. GEM estimates a required reduction of 41.7 Mt, which is significantly higher than the 31 Mt reduction planned in the IEA scenario.
• Underground mines are the dominant source of emissions, accounting for 85% (44 Mt) of all coal mine methane, compared to 15% (8 Mt) from surface and mixed mines. However, some surface mines are statistical outliers that emit methane levels comparable to underground operations.
• National inventories reported to the UNFCCC likely underestimate methane emissions. In the United States' Appalachian region, GEM's figures are 44% higher than the UNFCCC national inventory, and in West Virginia, emissions are nearly three times higher than official 2020 figures (10 Mt CO2e100).

APA

Tate, R. D. (2022). SIZING UP COAL MINE METHANE. Global Energy Monitor. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM_CCM2022_r4_23.pdf

Chicago

Tate, Ryan Driskell. SIZING UP COAL MINE METHANE. Global Energy Monitor, 2022. https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM_CCM2022_r4_23.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tate |first1=Ryan Driskell |title=SIZING UP COAL MINE METHANE |publisher=Global Energy Monitor |date=March 2022 |url=https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM_CCM2022_r4_23.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tate2022sizing, author = {Tate, Ryan Driskell}, title = {{SIZING UP COAL MINE METHANE}}, institution = {Global Energy Monitor}, year = {2022}, month = mar, url = {https://globalenergymonitor.org/sites/default/files/migration/reports/GEM_CCM2022_r4_23.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }