Australia’s mining methane is 60% higher than the amount we report to the UNFCCC, accord to the International Energy Agency’s Global Methane Tracker Report.
The gap between the IEA's estimate and Australia's estimate is equivalent to the annual fossil methane emissions of Germany, France and the UK combined. Methane is 82.5 times more potent than carbon dioxide over 20 years.
Our methane emissions have blown out of control because we don’t have rules to properly measure, report and verify our methane emissions. And companies aren't required to reduce them.
How can we manage methane, if we’re not even properly measuring methane?
We need the Australian Government to make a methane action plan.
The IEA says that Australia could reduce its coal mine methane emissions by 700,000 tonnes. That’s a huge reduction in highly potent, climate heating methane!
- Step 1: fix emissions measurement, reporting and verification
- Step 2: prevent methane emissions from new coal and gas mines
- Step 3: make mining companies control and reduce their leaking methane emissions
Australia needs a methane action plan now!
Read more here on the Guardian.
