The workshop was organized by the UNECE Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane in cooperation with the Government of India - Ministry of Coal, Coal India Limited - Central Mine Planning & Design Institute and the Global Methane Initiative. It was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The purpose of the workshop was:
- to disseminate and promote the Best Practice Guidance for Effective Methane Drainage and Use in Coal Mines developed by the UNECE Group of Experts on CMM;
- to promote best practices to ensure safer coal mines, reduced GHG emissions and optimized gas use;
- to pool global and local expertise;
- to engage with principal local and national stakeholders in India;
- to identify and help to address local CMM-related problems.
In order to deliver on the last of the above-mentioned objectives the Survey had been developed by the Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane and disseminated among local stakeholders prior to the event. The aim of the questionnaire was to identify particular needs of the local mining community. The problems revealed by the survey were subsequently addressed throughout the workshop.
Please see also an article on Building capacity on sustainable coal mine methane utilization practices.