Search Climate Insights Directory
25 results
Submission to the Clean Energy Regulator: Enhancing Method 2 for Coal Mine Emissions Reporting
This submission by Ember to the Clean Energy Regulator argues that 'Method 2' for reporting fugitive methane emissions from Australian coal mines is scientifically inadequate and leads to significant under-reporting. The document highlights a growing gap between increasing coal production and stagnant or declining reported emissions, particularly in New South Wales. Ember recommends urgent reforms, including mandated regular updates to emission factors, increased borehole density, independent third-party verification, and the integration of satellite-based atmospheric monitoring to ensure the integrity of Australia's national emissions inventory.
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Document type: Report
Estimating CMM emissions
A report by Ember and Kayrros using TROPOMI satellite observations to estimate fugitive methane emissions from coal mining clusters in Australia, finding that satellite-derived emissions are significantly higher than official national and state-level reports.
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Document type: Report
State-level CMM emissions
This report by Ember analyzes coal mine methane (CMM) emissions in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. It compares officially reported fugitive emissions with satellite-based estimates and airborne measurements, finding that actual emissions in both states are significantly higher than reported, with particularly large discrepancies noted for surface mines in Queensland and overall totals in New South Wales.
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Document type: Report
Emissions accounting variability
This report examines the discrepancy between satellite-observed methane emissions and company-led estimates from open-cut coal mines in Australia, specifically focusing on the impact of shifting from state-based (Method 1) to site-specific (Method 2) emissions accounting in New South Wales.
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Document type: Report
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.
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Document type: Report
Accounting shift drives emissions reduction
A report by Ember examines a shift in how fugitive methane emissions from open-cut coal mines in Australia are reported, moving from state-based averages (Method 1) to site-specific estimates (Method 2). The report finds that this accounting shift has led to a significant decrease in reported emissions, particularly in New South Wales, creating a mismatch between regulator-compiled averages and operator-reported estimates.
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Document type: Report
Shift to open-cut Coal Mining and impact on emissions estimate
This report by Ember examines the transition in Australia's coal industry from underground to open-cut mining between 1990 and 2022, highlighting a growing reliance on estimated rather than measured fugitive emissions data.
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Document type: Report
Australia’s coal mining emissions paradox
This report by Ember examines the discrepancy between Australia's increasing coal production and its decreasing reported fugitive emissions, attributing the trend to the closure of gassy underground mines and changes in estimation methods for open-cut mining.
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Document type: Report
Rising Coal Production, Falling Emissions
This report by Ember examines the discrepancy between Australia's increasing coal production and its decreasing reported fugitive emissions, attributing the trend to mining method shifts, mine closures, and accounting changes rather than systemic emissions reductions.
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Document type: Report
Underground coal mine closures - a historic win, but future risk
The report examines the role of underground coal mine closures in reducing fugitive methane emissions in Australia. While the closure of 'super-emitting' mines has historically driven significant emissions decreases, new project expansions and license extensions threaten to reverse these gains and undermine national and state climate targets.
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Document type: Report
Australia’s coal mining emissions paradox
This report by Ember examines the 'paradox' of Australia's coal industry, where coal production increased by 170% between 1990 and 2022 while reported fugitive emissions remained nearly flat. The report attributes this trend to the closure of high-emitting underground mines and a shift toward open-cut mining, which relies on estimated rather than measured emissions. It warns that a transition to site-specific reporting methods has significantly lowered reported emissions, particularly in New South Wales, and that proposed mine expansions could reverse recent emissions declines.
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Document type: Report
Oil and gas fuelling extreme weather in Argentina
This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the link between human-caused climate change and extreme weather in Argentina, highlighting the role of the domestic oil and gas industry in driving emissions and the government's preference for fossil fuel production over renewable energy transitions.
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Document type: Briefing
Boggabri Coal Mine Modification 10 EPBC ref 2024/09887 Submission to Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water on the proposed modification of Boggabri coal mine and the potential for it to have a significant, under evaluated impact on fugitive emissions increases
Ember submitted a statement to Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water arguing that the Boggabri Coal Mine's Modification 10 proposal significantly underestimates fugitive emissions. Ember contends that the mine uses an unverified, decade-old emissions factor that is 95 times lower than state guidance, potentially under-reporting Scope 1 emissions by millions of tonnes, especially as the mine seeks to operate at greater depths.
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Document type: Statement
How an accounting shift could conceal millions of tonnes of coal mine emissions
This report by Ember examines the risks associated with a proposed shift in Australia's emissions reporting for open-cut coal mines, moving from state-based average emission factors (Method 1) to unverified company-led estimates (Method 2). The analysis of ten mines suggests that this shift allows companies to significantly under-report fugitive methane emissions, potentially erasing millions of tonnes of CO2-e from the national inventory without actual mitigation.
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Document type: Report
Risky Millions: Whitehaven’s methane potential
This report by Ember analyzes the methane emissions profile of Whitehaven Coal Limited, Australia's largest pure-play coal company. It argues that Whitehaven's current and proposed mining expansions could release over 1 million tonnes of methane by 2050, while highlighting significant discrepancies between company-reported emissions and independent estimates.
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Document type: Report
Submission to the Climate Change Authority’s Issues Paper – May 2023
Ember's submission to the Climate Change Authority recommends an overhaul of Australia's coal mine methane measurement and reporting laws to ensure accuracy and transparency, as a basis for achieving significant emissions reductions by 2035 and net zero by 2050.
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Document type: Statement
Submission to the Climate Change Authority’s Issues Paper - May 2023 Ember’s recommendations for setting, tracking and achieving Australia’s emissions reduction targets, with a focus on the measurement and mitigation of coal mine methane
This submission by Ember to the Climate Change Authority (CCA) recommends an ambitious approach to measuring and mitigating coal mine methane emissions in Australia. Ember argues that current reporting is significantly underestimated and that a combination of increased federal regulation, a national methane action plan, and a phased production phaseout of fossil fuels is necessary to meet 1.5C pathways and net zero by 2050.
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Document type: Report
LIFE AFTER COAL COMMENTS ON DRAFT 8TH NATIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INVENTORY REPORT
The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing the Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle Campaign, submitted comments on the Draft 8th National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report (NGHGIR) on 31 August 2022. The submission argues that the draft significantly undercounts methane emissions due to the omission of fugitive emissions from the oil and gas industry, pipeline transport, and abandoned mines, and criticizes the use of outdated global warming potential (GWP) metrics and low emission factors for coal mining.
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Document type: Statement
Foot off the gas: Increased reliance on natural gas in the power sector risks
A summary of a Climate Action Tracker examination regarding the role of natural gas in the power sector, highlighting the necessity of phasing out gas to meet Paris Agreement goals and the risk of stranded assets due to continued infrastructure investment.
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Document type: Report
FOLLOW UP TO REQUEST FOR REVIEW AND STRENGTHENING OF THE NATIONAL DUST CONTROL REGULATIONS
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) wrote to the Minister of Environmental Affairs on 25 October 2016 to follow up on a request to strengthen the National Dust Control Regulations. The CER expresses concern over the Department of Environmental Affairs' narrow focus on monitoring methods rather than health impacts, and objects to a proposal to increase the allowable dust limit for residential areas.
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Document type: Statement