Global coal mine methane (CMM) emissions remained broadly unchanged since 2021 despite rising coal production, with around 35 million tonnes (mt) of methane emitted in 2023 and 89 per cent of it left unreported in official inventories, according to a new review by energy think tank Ember.
The report, Global Coal Mine Methane Review 2026, said only 23 of 73 coal-producing countries submitted CMM data to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2023, leaving nearly 31 mt of emissions outside official records.
Recent disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint where 20 per cent of global oil passes through, has highlighted the fragility of fossil fuel supply chains. Yet CMM, which could be captured and used, remains largely unmonitored and wasted.
CMM is released before, during and after coal extraction. Methane traps far more heat than carbon dioxide over the short term, making it a major driver of near-term warming. Emissions have remained broadly steady, falling short of required reductions as coal production continues to increase. CMM emissions also remain largely unaccounted for in official data, hindering the uptake of proven technologies that could cut emissions this decade.
The findings come nearly five years after the launch of the Global Methane Pledge, under which countries committed to reducing global methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 from 2020 levels.
According to Ember, global CMM emissions stood at 34.7 mt in 2023, about 0.6 per cent higher than in 2021, even as global coal production rose from 8,100 mt in 2021 to more than 8,650 mt in 2023.
“CMM emissions are largely unreported, masking their true scale,” said Rebekah Horner, Ember’s CMM data analyst. “Yet, solutions already exist and are ready to be widely implemented. This creates a clear opportunity to accelerate climate progress using tools that are already available.”
The report found that 94 per cent of global CMM emissions originated from just seven countries: China, the United States, Russia, India, Australia, Poland and Ukraine, underlining how action in a small number of major coal producers could significantly curb global methane releases.
China overwhelmingly dominates the global picture, accounting for 76 per cent of total CMM emissions in 2023 while producing around half of the world’s coal. Ember estimated China’s emissions at around 28 mt in 2024, based on its latest reported inventory, though independent estimates vary widely.
Outside China, the next largest emitters include the United States and Russia, both with substantial underground mining sectors where methane intensity tends to be higher. Ember estimated US CMM emissions at around 1.5 million tonnes in 2024, while Russia was placed at 1.4 million tonnes.
Among other major producers, Australia was estimated at 0.9 million tonnes, Poland at 0.5 million tonnes, and Ukraine remained among the top seven despite disruptions to mining operations in recent years.
The concentration of emissions in a handful of countries means targeted methane rules, direct mine-level monitoring and proven abatement technologies in these markets could deliver outsized global climate gains this decade.
India’s CMM emissions were estimated at around 1.2 mt in 2024, based on its most recently reported UNFCCC inventory from 2020, according to Ember. Independent estimates suggest actual emissions may be higher, with the International Energy Agency placing them 67 per cent above the official estimate, while satellite-based estimates were 23 per cent higher in 2023. India is the world’s second-largest coal producer
The report said India’s reported methane intensity has fallen over time mainly due to methodological revisions rather than large-scale abatement. Emission intensity dropped from 2.4 to 1.8 tonnes of methane per thousand tonnes of coal between 1999 and 2000 after adoption of country-specific factors, and declined again to 1.5 tonnes between 2009 and 2010 after updated mine measurements.
With India planning to expand domestic coal production from both surface and underground mines, Ember said stronger mine-level measurement, transparent reporting and early methane capture systems will be crucial to prevent a further rise in emissions.
Ember said 99 per cent of reported coal production comes from countries relying on generic emission factors rather than direct mine-level measurements. Only a small share of global output uses advanced Tier 3 measurement-based reporting systems. The group warned that poor measurement and irregular reporting weaken climate accountability and delay mitigation efforts.
The report said existing technologies could reduce global CMM emissions by 54-63 per cent by 2030. Ventilation air methane systems alone could cut emissions by nearly 24 per cent, while drainage methane capture could deliver another 19 per cent, much of it at negative net cost because captured gas can be sold or used as fuel.
“Global methane targets will not be met unless CMM is addressed directly,” said Nishant Bhardwaj, CMM programme director at Ember. “This is a clear, actionable part of the problem that has been overlooked for too long.”
Ember also said methane that can be captured and used directly from coal mines amounts to around 15 billion cubic metres (bcm) — roughly one-eighth of the 112 bcm of LNG that transited through the Strait of Hormuz in 2025.
The report said CMM can be sharply reduced this decade if governments and industry move quickly on monitoring, regulation and deployment of existing technologies.
Governments should require continuous or near-continuous methane monitoring at surface, underground and closed mines instead of relying on generic emission factors. Mine-level public reporting would improve transparency and accountability.
Countries should use satellite observations, aerial surveys and third-party ground measurements to cross-check official inventories and identify super-emitting mines.
Satellite operators should prioritise major coal regions with poor current visibility, particularly India, South Africa and Australia, where favourable detection conditions exist but monitoring remains weak.
The report points to policies such as the EU Methane Regulation, which restricts venting from active and closed mines, as models that can be replicated elsewhere.
Captured methane from drainage systems can be used as fuel. Financial incentives, carbon markets and subsidies can help scale technologies such as ventilation air methane oxidisers and gas recovery systems.
Phasing down coal remains the most effective long-term solution. Governments should tie mine closure plans to mandatory methane abatement and post-closure monitoring.
Steelmakers and other coal users should demand mine-level methane disclosures and verified reductions from suppliers, especially for coking coal.