China’s coal mine methane regulations have not curbed growing emissions

Scot M. Miller (), Anna M. Michalak, Robert G. Detmers, Otto P. Hasekamp, Lori M. P. Bruhwiler and Stefan Schwietzke
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Scot M. Miller: Carnegie Institution for Science
Anna M. Michalak: Carnegie Institution for Science
Robert G. Detmers: Netherlands Institute for Space Research
Otto P. Hasekamp: Netherlands Institute for Space Research
Lori M. P. Bruhwiler: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Stefan Schwietzke: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Anthropogenic methane emissions from China are likely greater than in any other country in the world. The largest fraction of China’s anthropogenic emissions is attributable to coal mining, but these emissions may be changing; China enacted a suite of regulations for coal mine methane (CMM) drainage and utilization that came into full effect in 2010. Here, we use methane observations from the GOSAT satellite to evaluate recent trends in total anthropogenic and natural emissions from Asia with a particular focus on China. We find that emissions from China rose by 1.1 ± 0.4 Tg CH4 yr−1 from 2010 to 2015, culminating in total anthropogenic and natural emissions of 61.5 ± 2.7 Tg CH4 in 2015. The observed trend is consistent with pre-2010 trends and is largely attributable to coal mining. These results indicate that China’s CMM regulations have had no discernible impact on the continued increase in Chinese methane emissions.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07891-7

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