Coal Mine Methane

Coal production, transportation, storage and use account for roughly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Projections suggest coal use will increase in coming years due to growing demand for electric power. Greater focus is therefore being directed at minimizing the carbon footprint of the entire coal industry value chain from production through utilization.

One of the more effective near-term options at the production stage is the capture and use of methane from coal mines. This not only mitigates climate change, but delivers other important co-benefits including improvement of mine safety and productivity, localized energy production, and improvement in local/regional air quality. In addition, such projects can result in positive cash flows to the mine and serve as catalyst for investment.

The UNECE is active in facilitating the development and profitable recovery and use of CMM. With UNECE member countries producing 38% of the world’s coal and generating 40% of coal mine methane (CMM) emissions, successful project implementation will benefit the regional and global environment and the economies of the ECE region.

Meetings

Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane

• Fourth Session of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane (16-17 October 2008)
  
• Third Session of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane (2-4 April 2007)
• Second Session of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane (31 January - 1 February 2006)
• First Session of the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane (6 December 2004)

Task Force on the Economic Benefits of Improving Mine Safety Through Extraction and Use of Coal Mine Methane

• Second (Informal) Session of the Task Force on the Economic Benefits of Improving Mine Safety Through Extraction and Use of Coal Mine Methane (30 January 2006)
• First Session of the Task Force on the Economic Benefits of Improving Mine Safety Through Extraction and Use of Coal Mine Methane (29 April 2005)

Coopertive Meetings/Workshops

• Workshop on New Trends in Coal Mine Methane Recovery & Utilization
  Organized by the Central Mining Institute of Poland and supported by the UNECE Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane and Methane to Markets Partnership 27-28 February 2008 (with field trips on 29 February and 1 March), Szczyrk, Poland
  Programme | Presentations | Photo Gallery |
  Report of the Workshop (prepared by the International Energy Agency)
  
  
• Workshop on Geomechanical and Geodynamic Aspects of High-Efficiency Extraction of Coalmine and Coalbed Methane (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 20-22 September 2006)
• International Coal Mine Methane Project Network Partnership Meeting (27-28 April 2005)