In an important step to fight climate change, China plans to enforce stricter methane controls from coal mining. New guidelines to reduce the quantity of this harmful greenhouse gas generated during coal mining were announced by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on Thursday.
Methane is much more effective in capturing heat and only lasts for around 10 years in the atmosphere compared to carbon dioxide which can remain for up to a thousand years. This short time horizon means that cutting methane emissions can have major and immediate climate benefits.
The Revised Rules:
The gas has to be trapped by miners that emit high quantities of methane which are classified as those that emit more than 10 cubic meters of pure methane per minute and a methane level of 8% or more. If the trapped methane cannot be used as a resource, it must be destroyed.
The 30% limit has been highly tightened since it was first implemented in 2008, mostly to promote coalbed methane as an alternative fuel source and stop mine explosions.
The legal compliance schedule is based on the mines’ age. Newly constructed mines have to follow by April 2025 while existing miners have until April 2027 to implement the changes.
In addition to improving energy efficiency and promoting worker safety by reducing accidents, these measures are expected to slow down the rate of global warming.
With more than 3,000 mines, China’s coal industry accounts for over 40% of the country’s total methane production which greatly increases methane emissions. The agricultural industry contributes a similar amount. These new rules show China’s commitment to reducing the adverse environmental impacts of its large coal mining operations despite the fact that it remains a major global coal producer.
