Acknowledgements

The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is one of the five UN Regional Commissions and provides a forum through which 56 countries of North America and Western, Central, and Eastern Europe as well as Central Asia come together to forge the tools of their economic cooperation. The main areas of UNECE’s activity are: economic cooperation and integration, environment policy, forests, housing and land, population, statistics, sustainable energy, trade, and transport. UNECE pursues its goals through policy analysis, the development of conventions, regulations and standards, and the provision of technical assistance (www.unece.org/energy/se/cmm.html). Energy related topics such as coal mining and coal mine methane are discussed by the member states in the Sustainable Energy Committee (SEC). The Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane convenes as a subsidiary body of the SEC meeting regularly to discuss issues and promote best practices for management, capture and use of the methane gas liberated during the coal mining life cycle.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Affordable and Clean Energy

Responsible Consumption and Production

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions