Executive Summary

Closure of coal mines, and therefore Abandoned Mine Methane (AMM) emissions, will continue to be a relevant and important issue for the foreseeable future as countries continue to exploit and exhaust their coal reserves at a faster pace. This is true for many developed countries where coal production is declining, and mines are closing. However, this is also the case in some developed and developing economies where coal production will continue to play a significant role in the energy mix and closing mines are replaced by new mines. The total sum of emissions from closed and closing mines could, therefore, is substantial and will likely grow in importance. Forecasts of global coal mine methane emissions indicate that AMM represented 17% of the total mine methane emissions in 2010 and the proportion may increase to as much as 24% in 2050 (Kholod et al, 2018).

Sustainable Development Goals:

Affordable and Clean Energy

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Climate Action