BEIJING, Sept 10 (Askume) – More than half of the world’s new coal mines are in China, which could lead to a significant increase in methane emissions, a new study published on Tuesday found.
The US-based Global Energy Monitor (GEM) reported that as of April, China was developing enough new coal mines to produce 1.28 billion tonnes of coal annually, including large mines with an annual capacity of at least 1 million tonnes.
He said 35% of that capacity is already under construction, meaning production is expected to ramp up within three to five years.
GEM project manager Dorothy Mei said: “Expanding coal production capacity is a current national policy priority and political task. State-owned enterprises that dominate the industry are often required to achieve this goal.”
May said China’s long-term contract system ensures the profitability of coal companies.
The report says China accounts for 70% of global coal mine methane emissions due to its existing coal mines, and that number could rise to 75% if all proposed projects are completed.
“The growth in new production directly contradicts China’s dual carbon neutrality goals,” it said.
Methane emissions, which come from activities such as energy production, agriculture and landfills, are short-lived in the atmosphere but are more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. They are responsible for about a third of the increase in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution.
China’s pipeline projects account for more than half of the mines under development worldwide and include projects at various stages of development, including proposed, approved and constructed projects.
By comparison, China’s current large-scale coal mining capacity is 3.88 billion tonnes per year, roughly half the global total, the report found.
According to data from the China Bureau of Statistics, as the world’s largest producer and consumer of fossil fuels, total coal mining volume will reach 4.66 billion tons in 2023, a record high.
