The organization Ember has published a report analyzing fugitive emissions in Australia’s coal industry between 1990 and 2022. These are greenhouse gas emissions resulting from leaks or unintentional gas releases that are not directly controlled.
During the analyzed period, the coal industry in the country grew by 170 percent, with coal production rising from 200 million tons to around 540 million tons. Interestingly, although coal production increased significantly, emissions from coal mines rose by only 0.17 percent.
Two key reasons are cited for this outcome: the closure of mines with high gas (methane) content and a significant increase in open-pit mining, which has lower emissions per unit of coal.
However, a factor contributing to the reduction in reported emissions is also a change in the estimation methodology. According to the new approach, emissions are now calculated individually for each mine rather than using an average value for all mines.
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Still, these estimates are often not verified, which can result in emissions being reported as lower than they actually are—meaning the reports may be inaccurate and underestimated.
Coal production in Australia grew more than twice as fast as emissions during this period. However, this success should not mislead one into thinking the industry can ignore further efforts to reduce emissions.
Namely, the reduction in emissions is not entirely the result of advanced technologies or emission reductions within the mines themselves, but also due to changes in calculation methodology and the closure of high-emission mines. Currently, there are still several mines with high gas content slated for expansion, which could lead to increased emissions again if additional reduction measures are not implemented.
Energy Portal
