Context
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG). The 100-year global warming potential of methane is 25 times higher than that of carbon dioxide (CO2). Measured over a 20-year period, that number goes up to 84, and on an instantaneous basis the figure reaches 120. Methane global atmospheric concentrations have grown nearly 150% from pre-industrial levels and are currently responsible for about a third of the planetary warming.
About 60% of global methane emissions are a result of human activities such as extraction and use of fossil fuels, agriculture, landfills, and wastewater treatment. Fossil fuel production, distribution and use are estimated to emit 110 million tons of methane annually, which accounts for approx. 30% of anthropogenic methane emissions.
Coal and methane are co-located resources in many parts of the world. As a result, in those places coal mining related activities, such as extraction, crushing, distribution, and the like lead to the release of a substantial amount of methane trapped in coal. Methane can be emitted from active underground and surface mines, as well as from abandoned mines and undeveloped coal seams. Key coal producing nations emit over 52.5 billion cubic meters of methane per annum. Much of this amount is emitted in low concentrations mixed with air known as Ventilation Air Methane or VAM.
Unlike other GHGs, methane can be converted to usable energy. Capturing and using methane offers opportunities to generate clean energy and mitigate global climate change. In addition, reducing methane emissions offers also significant health benefits by improving local air quality. Technologies for capturing and using methane are readily available in every sector, including coal mining.
Event
In that context, the UNECE Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane (CMM) and Just Transition together with the International Centres of Excellence on CMM operating under its auspices and with its international Partners such as the Clean Air Task Force have been working for decades to support States and the coal industry in effective coal mine methane monitoring, capture, and use.
The workshop in Katowice is directed to policy makers and practitioners working in the fields of methane management and coal mining. It will provide a platform for exchanging experience among international stakeholders and thus give an opportunity for finding best solutions to the problems and challenges that they encounter in their work. It will also touch upon the problems related to mine closure and repurposing and discuss the provisions of the EU methane regulation with the aim to identify challenges that its implementation might pose to the Member States.
Participation
Experts who would like to participate in the event please indicate your interest to secretariat at [email protected]. Kindly note that number of places is limited and we might not be able to offer a seat to all requesting parties.