1、Driving Down Coal Mine Methane EmissionsA regulatory roadmap and toolkitThe IEA examines the full spectrum of energy issues including oil,gas and coal supply and demand,renewable energy technologies,electricity markets,energy efficiency,access to energy,demand side management and much more.Through i

2、ts work,the IEA advocates policies that will enhance the reliability,affordability and sustainability of energy in its 31 member countries,11 association countries and beyond.This publication and any map included herein are without prejudice to the status of or sovereignty over any territory,to the

3、delimitation of international frontiers and boundaries and to the name of any territory,city or area.Source:IEA.International Energy Agency Website:www.iea.orgIEA member countries:AustraliaAustriaBelgiumCanadaCzech RepublicDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceHungaryIrelandItalyJapanKoreaLithuani

4、aLuxembourgMexicoNetherlandsNew ZealandNorwayPolandPortugalSlovak RepublicSpainSwedenSwitzerlandRepublic of TrkiyeUnited KingdomUnited StatesThe European Commission also participates in the work of the IEAIEA association countries:ArgentinaBrazilChinaEgyptIndiaIndonesiaMoroccoSingaporeSouth AfricaTh

5、ailandUkraineINTERNATIONAL ENERGYAGENCYDriving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Abstract A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|3 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Abstract Tackling methane in the coal sector is a major opportunity for climate action that can also strengthen energy security.Experience shows that there

6、are several steps countries can take today using existing technologies and tools that can lead to significant reductions in methane emissions from coal mining.This report highlights the lessons learned in different coal-producing jurisdictions to support the development of smart and effective methan

7、e regulation.It then provides detailed guidance on the process of designing,drafting and implementing new regulations.Finally,it discusses the different regulatory approaches currently in use for methane,with the aim of providing a comprehensive toolkit for policy makers.Driving Down Coal Mine Metha

8、ne Emissions Acknowledgements A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|4 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Acknowledgements This report was prepared by the Office of Legal Counsel(OLC)of the International Energy Agency(IEA).The principal authors were Toms de Oliveira Bredariol(lead)and K.C.Michaels.Joyce Raboca and Natal

9、ie St.Clair were contributing authors.Luca Lo Re and Zhiyu Yang provided valuable comments and feedback.Tim Gould,Pascal Laffont and Christophe McGlade provided strategic guidance and input to this work.Thanks go to the IEA Communications and Digital Office(CDO),particularly to Curtis Brainard,Astri

10、d Dumond,Isabelle Nonain-Semelin and Therese Walsh.Nicola Clark edited the manuscript.Valuable comments and feedback were received from external experts,including:Eamonn Burke(Department of Climate Change,Energy,the Environment and Water-Australia),David Creedy(UNECE Group of Experts on Coal Mine Me

11、thane-Sindicatum Sustainable Resources),Robert Field(International Methane Emissions Observatory),Cevat zgen Karacan(UNECE Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane-US Geological Survey),Malgorzata Kasprzak(International Methane Emissions Observatory),Thomas Kerr(World Bank Group),Maria Olczak(Environme

12、ntal Defense Fund),Brooke Perkins(Department of Climate Change,Energy,the Environment and Water-Australia),Dinko Raytchev(European Commission),Volha Roschchanka(US Environmental Protection Agency),Felicia Ruiz(Clean Air Task Force),Anatoli Smirnov(Ember)and Hanling Yang(Environmental Defense Fund).D

13、riving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Table of contents A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|5 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Table of contents Executive Summary.7 Introduction.9 Action is needed on methane.9 Why focus on coal mine methane?.9 The case for methane regulation.12 What can governments do to drive me

14、thane reductions in the coal mining sector?.15 A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit.16 How to use this guide.19 Regulatory Roadmap.20 Step 1:Understand the legal and political context.20 Step 2:Characterise the nature of your industry.28 Step 3:Develop an emissions profile.33 Step 4:Build regulatory cap

15、acity.37 Step 5:Engage stakeholders.40 Step 6:Define regulatory objectives.41 Step 7:Select the appropriate policy design.42 Step 8:Draft the policy.43 Step 9:Enable and enforce compliance.44 Step 10:Periodically review and refine your policy.46 Regulatory Toolkit.48 Regulatory structure.49 Approach

16、es to regulation.52 Essential elements.59 Additional resources.68 Abbreviations and acronyms.70 Annex:Policies related to CMM.71 List of figures Figure 1 Coal mine methane emissions in the NZE,2000-2030.11 Figure 2 Top coal importers and exporters by scenario,2021,2030 and 2050.11 Figure 3 Ten steps

17、 in implementing new regulations.18 Figure 4 CMM abatement through the coal mining life cycle.29 Figure 5 Indirect CO2 and methane emissions from global coal supply,2021.35 Figure 6 The spectrum of regulatory approaches.53 Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Table of contents A Regulatory Roadm

18、ap and Toolkit PAGE|6 I EA.CC BY 4.0.List of boxes Box 1 Permits.50 Box 2 Methane regulation.51 Box 3 Best available technologies requirements.54 Box 4 Strategic targets.55 Box 5 Carbon credits from CMM projects and emission trading schemes.56 Box 6 Reporting requirements.58 Box 7 Remote sensing.60

19、Box 8 Third-party verification.63 Box 9 Voluntary carbon markets and international carbon markets.64 Box 10 Goal review.66 List of tables Regulatory approaches applied to VAM.19 Ownership of natural resources.22 Air pollution regulation.24 Safety regulations.25 Greenhouse gas emissions-reducing mech

20、anisms.26 Industry type(Private vs.State-Owned).30 Industry integration.31 Outline of Regulatory Toolkit.48 Regulatory approaches drawbacks and benefits.52 Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Executive summary A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|7 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Executive Summary Action to cu

21、t methane emissions from coal mines is needed in parallel with measures to reduce coal consumption.Yet global coal demand is set to rise in 2022 amid the upheaval of the energy crisis and this will have implications for meeting current emissions-reduction targets.Under the IEAs Net Zero Emissions by

22、 2050 Scenario,methane emissions from coal operations fall by more than 70%to 2030 while the worlds coal supply falls close to 50%.Dedicated abatement measures are therefore essential to driving emissions reductions at the pace and scale needed.Reductions in methane emissions are especially importan

23、t for coking coal,mainly used in steel making,which often comes from underground mines where large-scale emissions cuts are most feasible.For steam coal,reductions in consumption are likely to be the best way to reduce methane emissions,as it can often be cost-effectively replaced by renewables in t

24、he power sector,and it is mostly produced from surface mines,where methane abatement is less feasible.The Global Methane Tracker 2023 provides information on the sources and abatement opportunities for coal mine methane(CMM),such as drainage for power generation or ventilation air methane oxidation.

25、Policy and regulation are needed to encourage companies to reduce methane emissions from coal mines.Methane emissions cause harm not only to the climate but also to crops,the health of communities,the safety of mining operations and to energy security.Policy makers should not assume that the industr

26、y has the right incentives to undertake voluntary action sufficient to address its methane emissions.While the industry may take action on its own,most mitigation opportunities are not cost-effective without pricing externalities.In such cases,policy and regulation can be used to change company ince

27、ntives.Sound strategies will be needed to overcome the technical,institutional and economic barriers to coal mine methane reduction.This includes promoting best industry practice to monitor and manage emissions,facilitating access to energy markets and establishing the right mix of carrots and stick

28、s to drive CMM mitigation.Voluntary industry initiatives can complement and broaden these policy efforts.Better and more transparent data is needed but this should not stand in the way of mitigation action.There are large differences between data based on measurement campaigns and scientific studies

29、,and the emissions levels reported by official public bodies,such as to the United Nations(UN)Framework Convention on Climate Change,that rarely make use of direct measured data.Technical solutions are already available for lowering methane emissions in some contexts,but better and more transparent

30、data are needed to facilitate targeted policy action.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Executive summary A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|8 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Many countries are already taking action to curtail methane emissions.Following the launch of the Global Methane Pledge,several count

31、ries are working on national action plans to reduce methane emissions from human activities.International co-operation through the Clean Development Mechanism,for example has already contributed to CMM mitigation.New initiatives,including the Joint Declaration from Energy Importers and Exporters on

32、Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Fossil Fuels,call on fossil fuel importers to reduce the methane emissions associated with their energy consumption.Some countries have clarified the status of CMM as an alternative resource to facilitate its use as an energy source.Others have introduced feed-

33、in tariffs to encourage CMM utilisation for power generation.Some jurisdictions are also using prescriptive requirements to curtail CMM emissions.These are just a few examples of policy tools that can help address methane emissions.This Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit shares experience on CMM regulat

34、ion.It highlights lessons learned in different jurisdictions to support the development of effective regulations.It provides a comprehensive guide covering both the process for establishing new policies and regulations and the potential content of policies aimed at CMM.In developing this Roadmap and

35、 Toolkit,we identified important insights for policy makers drawn from the experience of coal-producing countries.There are no one-size-fits-all solutions.A policy and regulatory regime will be most effective if it is tailored to a jurisdictions specific situation,including the political and regulat

36、ory context,the nature of the industry,the size and location of emissions sources,and the jurisdictions policy goals.Every regulatory approach has its own advantages and disadvantages that depend on circumstances that vary across jurisdictions,and policy makers should consider how these circumstance

37、s play out within the local context.The steps outlined in this report are designed to help regulators understand these circumstances and make decisions as to which regulatory approaches fit their unique situation best.Regulators should implement policies sooner rather than later.It is easier to inco

38、rporate abatement technologies into coal developments if these are considered from the outset.High-concentration sources of methane can be captured if emissions-reduction measures are planned prior to the start of mining operations.Degasification wells and drainage boreholes can capture methane from

39、 coal deposits,for example,which reduces the potential for emissions during production.These systems can also be applied to working mines before operations migrate to new areas of coal exploration or after operations have ceased in an area.Abandoned underground coal mines continue to emit methane,es

40、pecially in the first few years after the end of operations,making this an important window for mitigation action.Coal phase-out policies can incorporate methane abatement to minimise climate impacts,generate energy and jobs.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap

41、and Toolkit PAGE|9 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Introduction Action is needed on methane Methane emissions are responsible for around 30%of the current rise in global average temperatures.Rapid and sustained reductions of these emissions represent a significant opportunity to limit the near-term effects of climat

42、e change.Reducing methane has a major and immediate climate benefit because it has a much shorter atmospheric lifetime than carbon dioxide(around 12 years compared with centuries for CO2),and it absorbs much more energy while it remains in the atmosphere:Over a 20-year period,methane absorbs more th

43、an 80 times the energy of a comparable volume of CO2.Over 100 years,methanes absorption rate drops to about 30 times that of CO2.Action on methane will be particularly important in the period to 2030 because sharp cuts in methane can deliver a net cooling effect within a relatively short period.This

44、 could help to keep the door open to a 1.5C stabilisation in global average temperatures,while the world simultaneously pursues reductions in CO2 emissions.The Global Methane Pledge was launched at COP26 in November 2021 to catalyse action to reduce methane emissions.Led by the United States and the

45、 European Union,the Pledge now has 150 country participants who together are responsible for around 50%of global human-caused methane emissions.By joining the Pledge,countries commit to work together to collectively reduce methane emissions by at least 30%below 2020 levels by 2030.Why focus on coal

46、mine methane?Coal seams naturally contain methane,referred to as coal mine methane(CMM)when it is associated with coal operations.CMM can be released during or after mining operations in a number of ways,including:Seepage from coal seams exposed in surface or open pit mines Ventilation and drainage

47、in which methane is extracted from underground coal mines as a safety measure Post-mining activities such as processing,storage and transport when methane that is still trapped in the matrix of the coal seeps out Abandoned mines,since methane can continue to escape from coal that remains after opera

48、tions have ended.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|10 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Ventilation air methane is the largest source of CMM at underground coal mines,whereas drainage systems are often the main source at surface mines.Methane emissions tend to

49、be higher for underground mines than for surface mines,as deeper coal seams tend to contain more methane than shallower seams.Coal type also affects its methane content:lignite tends to have the lowest methane content,followed by steam coal and coking coal.More than 80%of all coal produced today is

50、steam coal,which is mainly used for heat and electricity generation.Nearly 5%is lignite,which is also generally used for power generation.Coking coal makes up around 15%of global production and is mainly used in steelmaking.Steam coal and lignite can be replaced cost effectively by renewables in the

51、 power sector,whereas there are fewer readily available alternatives for replacing coking coal in industry.Coal mine operations released around 40.5 Mt of methane into the atmosphere in 2022,representing more than 10%of total methane emissions from human activities.This is equivalent to around 1.2 G

52、t CO2eq1,which is equivalent to more than all the energy-related CO2 emissions from Central and South America.Tackling methane emissions in the coal sector should be an integral part of efforts to reduce global methane emissions alongside action on methane from oil and gas operations,waste and agric

53、ulture.Addressing methane from coal will require a two-pronged strategy:transitioning away from coal use,particularly in the power sector,while simultaneously encouraging mitigation strategies where economically feasible.In the IEAs Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario(NZE),coal-related methane emiss

54、ions fall by more than 70%from 2022 to 2030.A major driver of this drop is a drastic fall in coal use:demand almost halves from 2022 to 2030.The largest share of the decline in coal mine methane comes from a transformation in the power sector as coal-fired plants are rapidly replaced by renewables i

55、n the NZE Scenario.As a result,the supply of steam coal falls by around 50%by 2030.Meanwhile,coking coal supply drops by 25%from 2021 to 2030.1 Methane is converted to CO2equivalents based on the 100year global warming potentials reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assess

56、ment Report.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|11 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Figure 1 Coal mine methane emissions in the NZE,2000-2030 IEA.CC BY 4.0.As the energy sector transitions from coal-fired power generation and industries develop viable alternativ

57、es to its use,policies have an important role to play in limiting its climate impacts.Countries with a strong reliance on steam coal might need help to transition.International initiatives,such as the Just Energy Transition Partnership launched by Indonesia and a group of leading economies,can suppo

58、rt such efforts.Coking coal importers might look to help producer economies to mitigate emissions and reduce the climate impact of their industries.Figure 2 Top coal importers and exporters by scenario,2021,2030 and 2050 IEA.CC BY 4.0.Note:Mtce=million tonnes of coal equivalent.STEPS=Stated Policies

59、 Scenario.APS=Announced Pledges Scenario.In parallel with measures to reduce consumption,it will be necessary to invest in abatement technologies at active and abandoned mines.We estimate that it is technically possible to avoid more than half of global methane emissions from coal operations today w

60、ith existing technologies.0 10 20 30 40 5020002005200252030Mt CH4-1 200-6000 6001 2002021STEPSAPSSTEPSAPSMtceChinaIndiaJapanKoreaEuropeOther importersAustraliaIndonesiaRussiaOther exporters20302050ImportersExportersImportersExportersDriving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A

61、Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|12 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Potential abatement options include capturing methane using degasification wells and drainage boreholes prior to the start of production.For underground mines already in operation,methane is often already pumped out through ventilation systems.Th

62、is ventilation air methane can be captured and concentrated for use as an energy source,for example to heat mine facilities or for coal drying.CMM abatement technologies have already been implemented at numerous sites,but are still far from being standard industry practice.The Global Methane Tracker

63、 2023 provides country-level information on abatement potentials,mitigation technologies and coal mine methane emissions.Closed or abandoned coal mines also emit methane,and research has suggested that these could be a major cause of methane emissions,in particular as more mines reach the end of the

64、ir operational lifetimes.Mine flooding is an effective way to reduce methane emissions from these mines as it stabilises the hydrostatic pressure on the coal seams.In cases where water levels do not recover naturally and flooding is not technically feasible,mines can be sealed and technologies put i

65、n place to ensure that emerging gas is captured and used.These measures are not widely deployed at present,and new policies and regulations dealing with emissions from legacy sites are needed to ensure their future deployment and proper mine closure.The case for methane regulation The coal industry

66、often regards methane as primarily a safety hazard that can hamper the speed of production.Standard operations dilute methane concentrations to avoid explosion risks by bringing in air to mines and emitting the resulting mix of gas.Reducing methane emissions generally requires investments in additio

67、nal equipment and maintenance without providing significant revenue or savings especially in the absence of an effective tax on greenhouse gas(GHG)emissions.While the fossil fuels industry shares concerns for methane and safety,the coal sector is quite different from the oil and gas sector for sever

68、al reasons.There are more financial and technical barriers to voluntary methane reduction efforts in the coal industry than in the oil and gas context,where gas leaks are much easier to monetise and the deployment of abatement technologies is often less challenging.There are,however,instances when C

69、MM can be captured and utilised,thereby generating savings,particularly where both coal mine methane concentrations and energy prices are high.In the absence of a viable recovery project,methane can either be destroyed by thermal oxidation or flared to reduce its climate impact.There are several pro

70、jects globally that have installed the equipment necessary to do this,but they remain uncommon.Safety concerns and a lack of supporting Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|13 I EA.CC BY 4.0.regulatory frameworks,including an unclear ownership s

71、tructure of coal mine methane,are cited as reasons for the lack of progress.Understanding what prevents companies in different countries and market contexts from undertaking actions is a vital starting point in the design of a regulatory approach to methane abatement.There are three main types of ba

72、rriers that explain why companies are not taking action to abate methane emissions:technical,institutional and economic.Technical barriers Mitigating coal mine methane is often challenging because the methane concentration of emissions can be very low and fluctuate significantly.The lower the concen

73、tration of methane,the more technically and economically difficult it is to abate.The same applies to methane emitted during the mining process.For example,air from the ventilation systems of underground mines(called ventilation air methane)often contains less than 1%methane.There is a significant i

74、nformation gap in many companies about methane,regarding both its environmental impacts and,more specifically,the level and sources of emissions from company operations.There is also a lack of awareness in many cases about the abatement technologies that exist,their costs,and the benefits of capturi

75、ng and using or selling gas that would otherwise be emitted.In some cases,CMM may be captured and mobilised to provide heat or power to mining operations,or sold to local markets.This requires both the availability of companies capable of delivering methane abatement solutions(e.g.,degasification sy

76、stems)and a way to use captured methane to meet existing energy demand.Many coal mines are in remote locations with rugged terrain,making the installation and operation of some abatement technologies challenging.Additionally,while there may be a desire to implement best practices on CMM mitigation,c

77、ompanies need to operate and maintain specialised equipment for which there is often a dearth of service providers,project developers and technical specialists.Further,innovation is necessary to tackle some sources of CMM,such as post-mining emissions,for which abatement pathways are not well unders

78、tood to date.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|14 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Institutional barriers Even if senior management is aware of the risk of methane releases,this may not be reflected in the broader company culture and its operating practices.In

79、 other words,the personnel in the best position to act those on the ground are not necessarily aware of the importance of doing so.Also,in many cases,pathways or businesses do not exist to bring the gas that is captured to productive use.In these cases,it may be necessary to construct new infrastruc

80、ture to use captured gas,including new grid connections,gas processing equipment or pipelines.From a policymaking perspective,policies that enable or incentivise productive use of CMM could be missing.For example,grid access policies may not yet have been developed.An established mechanism for utili

81、sation,which can take time to set up,may not yet exist.Existing pricing mechanisms might also need to be adjusted specifically for CMM,which may include allowing price premiums and mitigation subsidies to encourage CMM utilisation.In addition,where ownership of CMM is not well defined,the coal compa

82、ny might not be entitled to abate emissions as they do not have the pertaining rights or they may be unwilling,if the benefits would only accrue to the owner of the gas.Also,state-owned firms may not directly benefit from cost-saving measures because they return earnings to the government treasury a

83、nd receive pre-determined appropriations to cover operations.Economic barriers There are also situations where methane concentrations do not allow for its recovery and utilisation as an energy source.When the amount of drained gas is limited and there are no feasible alternatives to use its energy c

84、ontent,flares can combust methane to reduce its climate impact.For ventilation air methane coming from underground mines,thermal or catalytic oxidation technologies are technically feasible at low methane concentrations and enable the destruction of methane to reduce its climate impact.Policies and

85、regulations are needed to create incentives or to require mine operators to install these types of CMM abatement technologies.While context matters for corporate decision-making,all firms have limited capital to deploy.Thus,opportunities to invest in methane reduction must compete with other investm

86、ent opportunities.Even where abatement is cost-effective,companies may opt to direct capital toward investments where a higher rate of return is possible.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|15 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Additionally,the transition from coa

87、l outlined in many countries climate action plans may affect the cost-effectiveness of capital investments in methane abatement.Capital costs for the deployment of methane abatement equipment and infrastructure are more significant for mines with relatively short remaining operational time.This can

88、lead to a difficulty in securing funding or obtaining financing for abatement technologies in this sector.What can governments do to drive methane reductions in the coal mining sector?Governments can address many of these barriers with policy and regulatory tools.Technical barriers can be bridged in

89、 a number of ways:through training;measures to support the monitoring,reporting and verification of emissions;support for voluntary reporting standards;and initiatives to encourage knowledge-sharing and best practices.When it comes to institutional challenges,governments can introduce requirements i

90、n the planning stages of projects,directly invest in abatement measures or clarify rights concerning CMM.Policies can also price environmental externalities,create financial incentives for onsite use of captured gas(e.g.,offer rebates for expenditures in CMM abatement),or remove barriers to investme

91、nt.There are many different policy approaches,but they all have one thing in common:they change the cost-benefit analysis for companies and drive them to internalise the societal cost of methane pollution.The aim of regulatory interventions is fourfold:First,they can unlock the abatement measures th

92、at are already economically advantageous today,i.e.,the methane emissions that can be abated at no net cost.Second,they can facilitate and promote actions that address the range of methane emissions that are technically possible to abate.Third,they can encourage the coal industry to privilege produc

93、tion from mines where emissions are low or abatement is more feasible.Fourth,they should ensure emissions monitoring,reporting and verification.To reach these four objectives,it will not be enough to simply remove the barriers that prevent companies from acting on their own.Broader regulatory effort

94、s will have an important role to play.Regulations customised to each jurisdictions specific goals can ensure that companies undertake appropriate abatement actions.There are already a number of examples of different types of policies and regulations around the world that have begun to address aspect

95、s of the problem.This Roadmap and Toolkit is based in large part on those examples and is designed to assist policy makers in learning from this existing experience.The Annex to this Roadmap and Toolkit provides a non-comprehensive list of policies and regulations concerning CMM abatement from aroun

96、d the world that we reference throughout this report.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|16 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Also,in-depth case studies have led to tailored policy recommendations.For example,the Global Methane Initiative has developed country pr

97、ofiles for most coal producers,assessing their unique CMM abatement challenges and opportunities.A joint study for Kazakhstan recommended including CMM in the feed-in tariff scheme,developing methodologies to count credits for the emissions trading scheme,providing tax benefits for CMM projects,and

98、clarifying CMM ownership and leasing rights.The IEA has previously focused on CMM opportunities in the Peoples Republic of China(hereafter“China”),where it advocated support for local authorities to implement provincial-level policies,engaging stakeholders for CMM subsidy development and providing i

99、ncentives for skilled workers to run CMM recovery and utilisation projects in smaller coal mines.A report for the Russian Federation(hereafter“Russia”)proposed clarifying ownership and licensing of recovered methane,raising levies on industry for emissions and providing tax credits for CMM recovery

100、and utilisation and participating in international co-operation efforts.A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit This report aims to provide a complete“getting started”guide for policy makers looking to develop new regulations to tackle coal mine methane emissions within their jurisdictions.This guide consi

101、sts of two companion pieces:a Regulatory Roadmap and a Regulatory Toolkit.The Roadmap focuses on the process of establishing a new regulation.It details ten key steps in developing a new regulation and provides a step-by-step guide to aid regulators in gathering the information they need to design,d

102、raft and implement an effective regulatory scheme.The Toolkit focuses on the content of methane regulations.It characterises the different regulatory approaches that are currently in use for methane,with appropriate links to the IEA Policies Database for specific examples.The aim of the Toolkit is t

103、o provide regulators with an encyclopaedia of the different regulatory tools that are available to them as they craft new policies.The IEA has identified ten steps that will assist regulators in selecting a regulatory approach and implementing a set of effective methane policies that match the local

104、 situation.Although presented sequentially here,these steps may be carried out in a different order,may take place concurrently,or may even be repeated once new data on emissions or new technologies become available.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolk

105、it PAGE|17 I EA.CC BY 4.0.A ten-step roadmap for policy makers Step 1:Understand the legal and political context Step 2:Characterise the nature of your industry Step 3:Develop an emissions profile Step 4:Build regulatory capacity Step 5:Engage stakeholders Step 6:Define regulatory objectives Step 7:

106、Select the appropriate policy design Step 8:Draft the policy Step 9:Enable and enforce compliance Step 10:Periodically review and refine your policy Across these steps,the process of implementing a new regulation unfolds in three distinct phases.The first phase takes place before any formal developm

107、ent of a regulatory proposal.It consists of an information-gathering exercise designed to equip policy makers with an understanding of how best to match policies and regulations to the institutional circumstances,existing regulatory framework,market context and emissions profile of the jurisdiction.

108、This information-gathering phase corresponds to the first three steps of the Roadmap.Once policy makers have gathered this information,the next phase involves designing and developing the regulatory proposal,taking care to enhance institutional capacity and engage with internal and external stakehol

109、ders.This regulatory development phase corresponds to Steps 4 through 8 of the Roadmap.At this stage,regulators should also consider the examples of different regulatory approaches that are collected in the Toolkit.Even after a regulation is published,a great deal of work remains to ensure that it o

110、perates effectively.In the implementation phase,policy makers will need to assure compliance with requirements and develop a plan to update the regulation as needed.This corresponds to Steps 9 and 10.Note that although implementation does not begin until a regulation is finalised,policy makers shoul

111、d consider these steps at the drafting stage to build in compliance assurance and adaptive strategies from the start.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|18 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Figure 3 Ten steps in implementing new regulations IEA.CC BY 4.0 What pol

112、icy and regulatory tools are available to regulators?A growing number of jurisdictions have already recognised that regulatory action plays an important role in driving these actions in the fossil fuel industry.Some governments have taken action;others have pledged to follow in the coming years.From

113、 our survey of early actions,we have developed a typology of regulatory approaches designed to demystify the complex governance arrangements that exist in many countries.An introduction to this typology is outlined below,and the Toolkit section of this report provides specific examples for each appr

114、oach.Typology of regulatory approaches Regulations that have been applied to methane can be categorised into four main types of regulatory approaches:prescriptive requirements performance-based or outcome-based requirements economic instruments information-based requirements.The table below illustra

115、tes each regulatory approach by describing its application to ventilation systems,which are used in underground coal mines to remove methane and other gases and bring in fresh air.Ventilation systems enable safer working conditions within a mine,but they are also the largest source of CMM emissions

116、due to the large quantities of diluted methane they emit into the atmosphere.Abatement technologies for ventilation air methane(VAM)include oxidation or capture and recovery for use.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Introduction A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|19 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Regulato

117、ry approaches applied to VAM Regulatory approach Definition Example Prescriptive Prescriptive instruments direct regulated entities to undertake or not to undertake specific actions or procedures.Underground coal mines are mandated to seal previously mined areas and take them off the ventilation net

118、work,decreasing VAM emissions.Performance-or outcome-based Performance-based instruments establish a mandatory performance standard for regulated entities but do not dictate how the target must be achieved.An annual methane emissions limit is set for coal mines,which might choose to recover VAM to m

119、eet established limits and reduce coal used for heating.Economic Economic instruments induce action by applying charges or introducing financial incentives for certain behaviours.This may include taxes,subsidies,or market-based approaches such as tradeable emissions permits or credits.Operator must

120、pay a pollution tax for emissions.Alternatively,the operator may deduct the costs of deploying abatement technologies from its tax liabilities.Under either scenario,the operator may choose to oxidise VAM for financial reasons.Information-based Information-based instruments are designed to improve th

121、e state of information about emissions,and may include requirements that regulated entities estimate,measure and report their emissions to public bodies.Operator is directed to report emissions of ventilation systems.In view of the volume quantified,the operator may choose to reduce emissions associ

122、ated with VAM.How to use this guide This guide is divided into two main components,the Roadmap and the Toolkit.The Regulatory Roadmap treats in detail each of the ten steps highlighted above and identifies key considerations and decision points for each step.The steps are presented sequentially,but

123、will generally prove to be modular,with feedback loops and iterations between different stages of policy making.Feel free to focus on the steps that you have greatest interest in and skip steps that you have already mastered.Next,the Regulatory Toolkit presents different elements of policy making to

124、 support regulators throughout the policy development and implementation phases.It discusses general regulatory strategies,providing further detail on the four general regulatory approaches described above and illustrating their use through examples of current methane regulations.As with the Roadmap

125、 steps,each topic is intended to be modular and stand-alone,and you may wish to refer to aspects of the Toolkit as you walk through the Roadmap steps.The last section of the Toolkit presents additional resources,including reports,tools and institutions that support coal mine methane mitigation.Drivi

126、ng Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|20 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Regulatory Roadmap Step 1:Understand the legal and political context The first phase of the process takes place before any formal development of a regulatory proposal.It consists of an info

127、rmation-gathering exercise designed to help inform your selection of a regulatory approach.This includes exploring how your institutional circumstances,existing regulatory framework,market context,and current emissions may impact your decision-making.The information-gathering phase begins here in St

128、ep 1 and continues through Step 2,where you will characterise the nature of your local industry,and Step 3,where you will develop a detailed emissions profile.What characteristics of the institutions in your jurisdiction should be considered?In this step,you will consider how regulating methane emis

129、sions from the coal mining sector might fit your political and regulatory context.Understanding where legal authority and political power for action on methane sit can help activate the most promising institutions within your government.Reviewing existing policies can suggest where to amplify methan

130、e abatement efforts,or what to change to remove disincentives for action.By considering the following questions,you can identify who should be involved and design policies that fit your agency.During this process,you can consult the Coal Mine Methane Country Profiles developed by the Global Methane

131、Initiative to support CMM reduction opportunities across 37 countries.Agencies with relevant regulatory authority What is the jurisdiction and how can that be leveraged to abate methane?From the outset,it is important to know which institutional actors have regulatory authority.The answer may depend

132、 on the ownership of the resource,the location of the resource,and the nature of the regulation(energy,environmental,safety).Certain types of regulatory authority may be maintained at the federal level or disbursed among state or provincial agencies where coal deposits are concentrated.A given agenc

133、y may have jurisdiction over resource development,air quality,or worker safety.The policy focus of the particular government body affects what Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|21 I EA.CC BY 4.0.strategies are available.In Indonesia,for

134、 example,the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources leveraged its position as a government body to encourage unconventional gas production through a right of first refusal for a mine contractor.It issued a regulation that specifies procedures for unconventional oil and gas working areas(including

135、coal mine methane)which allows the contractor bid first by submitting a work plan and budget for a potential study to be conducted by the Ministry.If the results show that cultivation of the unconventional gas is technically and economically feasible and the contractor does not submit the proposal w

136、ithin six months,a new contractor will be invited to cultivate it.Natural resource rights How are ownership rights for coal and CMM distributed?Generally speaking,regulation of a natural resource and the pollution that its exploitation may cause follows ownership of the resource.Historically,gas rel

137、eased during coal mining operations is managed from a safety perspective and disposed of as a waste product.This has precipitated both technology development for methane capture within operating coal mines and the development of unconventional natural gas industries referred to as coal seam gas(CSG)

138、or coalbed methane(CBM)that extract methane from coal seams outside of mining operations.2 Rights to the exploitation of this associated gas do not necessarily follow the rights to coal exploitation in the same field.In order to facilitate methane abatement and the resource development,the distribut

139、ion of rights may need to be clarified.Even if CMM rights are not automatically granted along with coal concessions,jurisdictions may have existing rules in place that give coal mining operators the clearance to perform natural gas operations under specific circumstances.This is the case in Alberta,

140、Canada,where the Alberta Energy Regulator may authorise coal lessees to recover coalbed methane contained within the territory of the coal lease for safety and energy conservation reasons.In jurisdictions where coal and gas are permitted separately,existing regulations may determine priority and sti

141、pulate a co-ordination mechanism for coal mining and gas operations.In Australia,for example,coal permit holders enjoy a“right of way”to extraction,but must offer to supply,on reasonable terms,any incidental coal seam gas to a petroleum permit holder in the overlapping territory.In India,the Hydroca

142、rbon Exploration and Licensing Policy(HELP)replaced a previous 2 CBM is natural gas,predominantly methane,which is deliberately extracted from unmined underground coal seams that generally are not suitable for normal mining.However,in some countries most notably in China CBM can also include CMM emi

143、ssions that are captured and subsequently marketed.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|22 I EA.CC BY 4.0.regime that required a separate licence for each hydrocarbon.HELP allows for a single uniform licence for all forms of hydrocarbons.O

144、ther jurisdictions choose to promote a“pre-drainage”strategy in which methane is extracted prior to coalfield development.For example,the US Bureau of Land Management(BLM)established Conflict Administration Zones in 2003 and 2006 to encourage methane drainage prior to coal extraction in the Wyoming

145、Powder River Basin.BLM offered a 50%royalty reduction rate to oil and gas lessees who agreed to expedite the extraction of CBM in these zones prior to coal mining.In the absence of an intentional strategy for resource development,existing legal frameworks may inadvertently hinder methane abatement.T

146、his was formerly the case in Ukraine,where one of the key barriers to CMM development was a 2012 tax code amendment that introduced excessive fees for mineral use on companies that engaged in unconventional gas production.The rules were clarified in 2017 to exempt CMM from taxation,in line with a la

147、w in 2009 that aimed to attract investments for CMM exploration,capture and utilisation.Similarly,legal clarity regarding the rights to fugitive methane from abandoned coal mines may be needed to facilitate abatement projects.In Australia,for instance,all underground coal,petroleum,and mineral resou

148、rces belong to the state,including Abandoned Mine Methane(AMM).State governments regulate the permitting processes by which companies may apply to extract and utilise AMM.In Germany,natural gas is federally owned,and licences for coal extraction include a right to explore gas,whereas AMM use follows

149、 a procedure similar to an authorisation for gas-fired power plants.In some countries,resource development is governed at the state or provincial level.Given that coal production is frequently concentrated within certain regions,co-ordination between national and subnational governments regarding re

150、source rights and permitting processes may be needed to facilitate effective CMM and AMM regulation.Ownership of natural resources Question Relevance Examples Who owns the gas from coal mines and controls exploitation rights for this resource?If the national government owns the resource,it likely ca

151、n control activities that produce methane emissions and prevent or discourage venting and waste of the resource.In China,the state owns coal resources and coal mining companies are largely state-controlled.CMM is considered an associated resource in active mining areas where a coal company has obtai

152、ned a mining licence.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|23 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Question Relevance Examples Who owns the gas from coal mines and controls exploitation rights for this resource?If subnational governments own the resource,they wi

153、ll enjoy more authority over exploitation(and methane).However,the national government may still exercise other authorities,e.g.,over air pollution.In Canada,subnational governments own the resources located within their borders,and take the lead on regulating exploitation,including limits on ventin

154、g and flaring of methane.If private actors own the resource,private contracts may determine exploration terms.In the US,subsoil resources including gas may be privately owned(depending on state law),in which case CMM and AMM projects would have to acquire resource rights from the landowners.Regulati

155、ons on air pollution Who regulates air pollution?Authority over air pollution may not be the same as for natural resources.Air pollution may be seen as exclusively either a national or local issue,or as a shared responsibility.The environmental authority may also differ depending on the pollutant,an

156、d whether methane is defined as a pollutant at all under the law.These distinctions determine which government body has authority and how it might regulate methane emissions from coal mining.For instance,while federal laws in the United States grant the Bureau of Land Management(a federal agency)pri

157、mary authority over permits for the exploitation of coal and other resources in federal lands,resource extraction that occurs on private land would be a matter of state contract law.Furthermore,while the US federal government generally has authority over regulating air pollution,this is often a shar

158、ed responsibility between the states and the federal government.Under the Clean Air Act(CAA),the US Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)has authority to establish new source performance standards for major stationary sources for pollutants such as methane that are not identified as criteria or hazar

159、dous pollutants.EPA may then delegate the authority to implement and enforce those performance standards to states,and states are also required to establish and implement standards that apply to existing sources.The EPA has not listed coal mines as a stationary source to be regulated for methane und

160、er the CAA,but this does not prevent states from issuing their own standards as the CAA allows states to establish more stringent pollution standards for pollutants not covered by federal regulations.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|24

161、 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Air pollution regulation Question Relevance Examples Who regulates air pollution?Sometimes,the governmental agency that regulates exploitation of resources sits at the same level of government as the agency that regulates associated environmental concerns.In many countries,the nation

162、al government not only controls these resources but regulates air pollution from these activities.This includes Indonesia,Mexico,Nigeria and Norway.One level of government,or a particular agency,may regulate access to and exploitation of resources.A different level of government or agency may regula

163、te environmental aspects of these activities.In Australia,the acquisition of rights to minerals stems from separate legislative frameworks in each state.However,mines are required to report GHG emissions through a national reporting scheme,which includes measurements for VAM from underground coal mi

164、nes and fugitive emissions from decommissioned underground coal mines.Worker and safety regulations Do worker or community safety institutions have authorities that might be implicated in methane abatement?Safety regulators may regulate methane concentrations and monitoring procedures to minimise ex

165、plosion risks.One of the motivations for abating coal mine methane is to improve safety of the workers and communities that live around the mine.Degasification systems are often in place to reduce methane concentrations during mining operations.In the absence of a regulatory incentive or requirement

166、,associated boreholes will often lead to vents where methane is released into the atmosphere.Likewise,ventilation systems will generally release VAM through ventilation shafts into the atmosphere.Related requirements may mean that useful information for abatement projects is available,such as methan

167、e contents of coal seams or the number and position of drainage boreholes.These can inform feasibility studies and reveal which abatement technologies would be most suited to each facility(e.g.,power generation for mines with high methane concentration,or flares for sites with lower concentrations).

168、Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|25 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Safety regulations Question Relevance Examples What other authorities might be implicated in methane abatement?Enhanced mine safety through different CMM abatement methods is a concern

169、 for the labour authority,occupational safety and health bureau or specific mine safety authority.The United States Mine Safety and Health Administration(MSHA)enforces safety standards of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act,which requires extra precautions against methane explosions for mines wit

170、h a methane concentration of 0.25%or more.What rules or guidelines may be issued to establish a safer environment for mine site workers?Rules or guidelines might require technologies or measures that affect methane management.Russias Mine Safety Regulations establish requirements for mine ventilatio

171、n and degassing.This includes permissible standards for the content of explosive gases in a mine,coal seams and goaf,above which degassing is mandatory.Economic incentives Are there mechanisms to incentivise CMM abatement strategies?Many countries are involved in national or international efforts to

172、 reduce greenhouse gas emissions.The agencies and officials leading these efforts can establish relevant reporting standards or incentives for CMM abatement.They should also be aware of voluntary initiatives that could be affected by new regulations.Voluntary carbon markets,whereby companies trade c

173、arbon credits(verified metric tonnes of greenhouse gases reduced or removed from the atmosphere),may offer an avenue for CMM abatement.For example,Verra,a major voluntary carbon markets standard,has issued a crediting methodology to quantify the emissions reductions generated by capturing and destro

174、ying methane from abandoned or decommissioned coal mines.Climate Action Reserve and American Carbon Registry also manage private carbon markets and have developed their own standards and methodologies to verify CMM projects.Emissions trading schemes(ETS)could also be relevant for CMM projects.In cer

175、tain cases,CMM reduction projects might be made eligible to be used by regulated companies instead of ETS allowances to comply with their obligations.Existing institutional arrangements can often be adapted to include measures to encourage methane abatement at coal mines,especially for abandoned fac

176、ilities or mines with low methane emissions where the most feasible abatement technology is flaring or VAM oxidation.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|26 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Greenhouse gas emissions-reducing mechanisms Question Relevance Exa

177、mples Are CMM projects included in GHG pricing schemes?National or regional GHG pricing schemes may incentivise CMM abatement projects by including CMM credits in domestic carbon markets or taxes as an alternative way for regulated companies to meet their obligations.Under the New Zealand Emissions

178、Trading Scheme,coal mines that produce more than 2 000 tonnes of coal annually are obligated to surrender emissions credits for coal seam gas emissions or pay a fixed price per unit.Are there international mechanisms to incentivise CMM abatement?Carbon credits from CMM abatement(whether flared or co

179、llected,and generated in one country and sold to another entity)can be generated and sold under various Voluntary Carbon Markets,the Clean Development Mechanism,and potentially also under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.Projects under the Clean Development Mechanism allowed abated CMM to generate c

180、arbon credits.An example of this is the CMM and VAM Comprehensive Utilization Project of Taiyuan,Shanxi Province,in China.Pre-existing policies The next grouping of regulatory characteristics to consider in Step 1 concern existing governmental capacities and policies that might be leveraged to achie

181、ve CMM abatement.Building a regulatory regime that plays to your institutional strengths will help to ensure success.Meanwhile,once you identify pre-existing authorities that directly target methane or indirectly affect decisions that drive methane emissions,you can step up their use,adapt their app

182、lication,amend or remove them for optimal CMM outcomes.What tactics or strategies does your agency typically deploy to achieve its policy missions?Once you have established that your agency or ministry has the jurisdictional authority to tackle some aspect of CMM emissions,it is important to think a

183、bout the tactics it most often employs to achieve its policy goals.If your agency has experience enforcing standards,then it could make sense to proceed with regulation.If your agency works with large players in the coal industry,perhaps through contracts or agreements,then you might begin by adapti

184、ng contract provisions on a going forward basis,to incentivise or require methane abatement.The US Coalbed Methane Outreach Program(CMOP)is an example of a government initiative that co-operates with the coal mining industry to help reduce CMM emissions.CMOP organises events and publishes resources

185、to promote profitable recovery,utilisation,and mitigation of CMM.If your agency is a research Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|27 I EA.CC BY 4.0.institution,you could partner with universities,industry and international organisations t

186、o test new methane abatement equipment or practices.Finally,if your entity is a data collection body,you might be trusted by the industry and by the public to enhance emissions monitoring and estimation.Build on your natural strengths and expertise to promote adequate measurement and reporting.Do an

187、y pre-existing policies explicitly address methane?Are there any that indirectly affect methane emissions?Greenhouse gas emission reduction goals,or monitoring and reporting requirements,may be applied to coal even if they do not call out CMM specifically.For instance,Colombias Integrated Climate Ch

188、ange Plan for the Mining-Energy sector includes coal in the list of activities for which it establishes fugitive emissions reduction measures.The related mitigation measure focuses on information gathering,to generate a robust baseline for upcoming policy decisions and regulation,to promote the adop

189、tion of mitigation actions and assess the uncertainty of abatement potential.Many jurisdictions have policies in place that influence oil and gas methane emissions that might be extended or serve as inspiration for the coal sector,considering the differences in emissions sources and abatement strate

190、gies between the two industries.For instance,Mexico regulates methane emissions from pipelines transporting associated gas from coal mines under the official standard for the transport of natural gas.The provisions of the standard include design,operation,and maintenance requirements along with guid

191、elines for the monitoring and detection of leaks.Some countries have systems that capture methane produced from landfills,which can be compared to CMM because it is also a diffuse methane source.California has a Landfill Methane Capture Strategy,created as a result of the California Global Warming S

192、olutions Act.The regulation required owners and operators of landfills to install systems to collect and control methane.Local air districts can voluntarily enter into a memorandum of understanding with the California Air Resources Board to cover costs,get support to enforce the regulation and asses

193、s fees.In other cases,existing policies for the coal mining sector may not mention methane explicitly but nonetheless create opportunities for(or obstacles to)its abatement.Regulations designed from a worker safety perspective,for instance,may require degassing by venting without considering mitigat

194、ing alternatives like flaring or capture and utilisation.Policies indirectly affecting methane emissions can be more difficult to identify,but they are worth the effort.For example,energy regulations may be preventing CMM projects from accessing electricity grids or Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Em

195、issions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|28 I EA.CC BY 4.0.nearby gas pipelines.Air pollution policies may also impact methane abatement,such as when emissions standards limit emissions of volatile organic compounds.Where an existing policy facilitates abatement,you might con

196、sider enhancing it increasing the stringency,the length of time the requirement is in place or the level of subsidy or ratcheting up enforcement to ensure more consistent compliance.Where an existing policy has the potential to facilitate abatement,you might consider applying it in new ways to reali

197、se that potential.Alternatively,you might choose not to alter an existing policy,but take measures to avoid undermining it with any new policy.Likewise,it may make sense to remove existing policies that create the wrong incentive structure.If an existing policy inhibits abatement,you might end the p

198、olicy,or change it so as to achieve the original policy goal without creating a disincentive for action on methane.Step 2:Characterise the nature of your industry How might the characteristics of the industry in your jurisdiction affect the types of policies you put in place?In this step,you will co

199、ntinue the exercise of gathering information about your local context,focusing here on the nature of your industry.As you consider the questions outlined in this section,you should keep in mind the three categories of barriers to reducing methane emissions:technical,institutional and economic.Unders

200、tanding the nature and shape of your industry will help you to identify where policy intervention can be most effective at addressing these barriers within companies.This may suggest particular regulatory strategies and focal points.Analysis may also suggest which government bodies and personnel nee

201、d to be involved in methane abatement policy making,and help assess where“problem”sources of methane might lie.Industry profile One of the most important aspects of your industry is the makeup of its participants.Key stakeholders in the coal mining industry include:national and local governments giv

202、ing mining concessions and natural resource rights;mining authorities that regulate the sector;mining operators with mine leases;service companies;end-use consumers that use coal as raw material;and investors.All of these actors have a stake in the progressive regulation of the sector.The profile of

203、 industry participants is particularly important how old or new are the mines and contracts of the companies involved?If concessions are relatively Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|29 I EA.CC BY 4.0.new,any loans taken out or investmen

204、ts made still need to be recovered.As such,policies may include economic measures to support the transition to newer abatement technologies.If concessions are old,contract extensions might be linked to abatement requirements.Figure 4 CMM abatement through the coal mining life cycle IEA.CC BY 4.0 Met

205、hane can be released in all stages of the coal mining life cycle;however,there are significant variations in estimated emissions depending on mine type,age,and depth.The IEAs Global Methane Tracker 2023 presents a more detailed discussion on the different sources of methane emissions from coal mines

206、 and related abatement measures.How might the particular characteristics of the industry in your jurisdiction affect the types of policies you put into place?If coal production is under the purview of state-owned companies,government agencies may be able to exercise greater influence over methane ab

207、atement through direct regulation.This is the case in India,where around 80%of coal is produced by the state-owned mining company Coal India Limited(CIL)under the Ministry of Coal.A CIL subsidiary,CMPDI,has been active in CBM recovery and utilisation since the 1990s,and has thus far been awarded ove

208、r 30 CBM blocks for commercial development.The company also specialises in generating CBM data in the exploratory phase and has partnered with domestic and international partners on research and development projects for concurrent exploitation of coal and CMM/AMM.As CIL is currently expecting to inc

209、rease production from deeper and more gaseous coal deposits to meet energy independence goals,there is heightened potential for CMM recovery through degasification projects.COAL MINING LIFE CYCLECOAL MINE METHANE ABATEMENTMine PlanningIdentified Coal ReservesActive MiningCoal ProductionClosed MineRe

210、claimed or AbandonedPlanning and ProductionPre-Mine DrainageUse and AbatementPost-Mine Drainage;Flaring;Ventilation Air Methane Oxidation;and Capture and AbatementMonitoring and RecoveryMeasurements,Flooding or Drainage Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap

211、 and Toolkit PAGE|30 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Industry type(Private vs.State-Owned)Question Relevance Examples Are state-owned firms involved along the energy value chain?Countries with state-owned companies may or may not directly regulate those companies.Where they do,attention must be paid to the different

212、 motivations of state-owned firms to ensure methane abatement policies will be effective.In China,most developers are state-controlled with the status of an independent legal entity,but CMM projects require permits from the Ministry of Natural Resources and must follow the standards set by the Minis

213、try of Environmental Protection.Where both state-owned companies and private companies operate in a country,policies may apply differently(and in some cases,the state-owned company may be in the position to regulate the private entity).Australia and Indonesia allow for joint ventures or concessions

214、for private companies to develop resources with or alongside state-owned firms.Countries with exclusively private companies operating in this space will generally subject those firms to sectoral regulation.Canada has only private firms operating in the coal sector.In China,the coal industry is domin

215、ated by state-owned enterprises,many of which have installed methane abatement technologies.China Shenhua,a subsidiary of China Energy Investment Corporation,has equipped its mines with CMM drainage and utilisation systems,which has reportedly led to a coal gas utilisation rate of 60%.Also,China Coa

216、l developed methane extraction technology and applied for two utility model patents for use in its Shaanxi branch.Are there readily available options for CMM abatement?Do mining operators in your jurisdiction already have expertise in capturing and utilising or selling methane released during mining

217、 activities,or have CBM industries developed apart from the mining industry?CMM abatement prospects depend on the availability and quality of CMM,energy prices,as well as expertise and infrastructure available for methane utilisation.Moreover,it is important to describe the nature of the businesses

218、involved in coal production companies might not have the structure or expertise needed to develop CMM abatement projects.For surface mines,methane mitigation options are limited,but pre-mine drainage could be a possibility.For underground mines,ventilation air methane oxidisers might need to be impo

219、rted,and the best alternative for drained CMM use will depend on the local characteristics,such as availability of suitable gas-fired power engines or purification equipment.Mine operators may partner with specialised Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap a

220、nd Toolkit PAGE|31 I EA.CC BY 4.0.energy technology companies or research centres for technology solutions.For example,the National Science Agency of Australia(CSIRO)has developed a suite of VAM technologies for CMM mitigation.Industry integration Question Relevance Examples Is there infrastructure

221、that facilitates CMM utilisation?Local demand may be available for captured gas near coal mines,and when available,CMM can be fed into the natural gas pipelines.Using CMM as a gas resource depends highly on the concentration of methane.With the proper technology,CMM can be processed to achieve the 9

222、5%methane concentration necessary for feeding into pipelines.Although GHG emissions from coal mining activities in the United States are not regulated,recovered CMM is often fed into natural gas pipeline systems.CMM is usually processed to remove the contaminants and upgraded to pipeline quality the

223、n fed into the pipeline.The eastern US market is suited to CMM utilisation because pipeline systems are often located close to gassy coal mines.Are there companies specialised in CMM abatement and project development?In many jurisdictions,there may already be industry expertise in methane capture an

224、d/or utilisation,whether from coal mining or CBM companies or third parties.Assessing what players are already active in CMM mitigation will inform how much time and resources need to be mobilised to meet your policy goals.Biothermica,a Canadian company,offers various financial schemes for domestic

225、and international coal companies to implement VAM projects using their commercial technologies.The multinational company Drr has specialised in coal mine VAM abatement solutions since 1994,with projects across four continents.Lastly,it may be important to check whether gas pipelines in your jurisdic

226、tion are open-access pipelines,where producers would be allowed to inject purified CMM into the system.Otherwise,they may sell to natural gas providers.Similarly,you will want to ensure that CMM-to-power projects have access to power grids and customers.In such a case,policies can be developed to ma

227、nage the difficulties of accepting fluctuating output of CMM from smaller plants,such as allowing price premiums to be passed on to consumers.Under Indianas Voluntary Clean Energy Portfolio Standard,regulated electric utilities qualify for financial incentives if they meet specific targets for inclu

228、ding renewable energy resources(including CMM)in their generation and supply portfolios.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|32 I EA.CC BY 4.0.State of energy development Finally,it helps to understand your industrys stage of energy develo

229、pment.This inquiry will be informative in two respects.First,it may indicate how much institutional expertise you have in your state-owned firms and agencies,which could be tapped for methane abatement efforts.Second,you may use different policies to address new mines than regulate existing or close

230、d mines.What is the state of the coal industry?If your jurisdiction has a long history of coal development,you may need a regulatory strategy to address methane emissions from abandoned mines.In Pennsylvania,for example,where the coal mining industry has been active for more than two centuries,there

231、 are an estimated 5 000 or more abandoned mines scattered across the state.While methane emissions tend to slow down after mine closure,abandoned mines may continue to release methane for decades.Depending on the age of the abandoned mines and on the evolution of the regulatory regime in the interve

232、ning years,the current ownership of such sites may be unknown or contentious.An important step toward methane recovery is to establish clear ownership and transfer rights to the resource.In Germany,ownership and transfer procedures for abandoned mines were established in the 1990s,and the country is

233、 now home to the most active AMM industry in Europe.What are your countrys plans regarding coal production?The IEAs Coal in Net Zero Transitions report outlines a path of steep decline in coal use to meet the global 1.5C target for climate stabilisation.As countries transition away from coal product

234、ion and toward a carbon neutral economy,it becomes increasingly important to integrate methane abatement strategies into environmental and land reclamation procedures related to mine closure from the outset.Many jurisdictions require integrated environmental assessments for mine closure planning pri

235、or to the commencement of mining operations.Mine closure and subsequent land reclamation projects typically involve multiple government ministries although some countries have designated special-purpose agencies to streamline the process.For example,the United Kingdom Coal Authority is responsible f

236、or overseeing all aspects of post-closure monitoring and maintenance,including managing water pollution,safety concerns,and other environmental and social legacies of mining.Methane recovery projects from abandoned or closing mines may also offer opportunities for alignment with just transition stra

237、tegies by minimising safety hazards and prioritising the local employment of former coal miners.The US Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan outlines the administrations strategy for extended support of the Abandoned Mine Land(AML)grant program,which Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regula

238、tory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|33 I EA.CC BY 4.0.supports both land reclamation and local economic development in former mining communities.The USD 11.3 billion of funding allocated by Congress in the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act can help to reduce methane emission

239、s from the currently known unremediated abandoned mine sites throughout the country with a stated focus on employing dislocated workers and encouraging meaningful community engagement.The World Banks Managing Coal Mine Closure:Achieving a Just Transition for All finds that strong government commitme

240、nt,legal and regulatory review,and genuine stakeholder engagement are critical components to improving social and economic outcomes for communities impacted by coal mine closure.POTENTIALS,a research project co-funded by the European Commission,identifies mine gas utilisation among other opportuniti

241、es to stimulate economic activities and jobs in Coal Regions in Transition that contribute to renewable energy development and the circular economy.Another EU-funded project,MERIDA(Management of Environmental Risk during and after Mine Closure),provides guidance on identifying and mitigating the ris

242、ks associated with gas emissions from closed and abandoned coal mines.Researchers used geological and mine-specific data at the Anna Mining Complex in Rydultowy,Poland,to conduct a hazard analysis for potential gas outflow to help identify areas exposed to risk of explosions from high concentrations

243、 of methane before,during and after mine closure.Among the proposed solutions to this hazard is the implementation of AMM recovery technology.Step 3:Develop an emissions profile How much methane is emitted in my jurisdiction and what are the biggest problem sources?With a good sense of the features

244、of your regulatory and industry structure in hand,you can now characterise your jurisdictions coal mine methane challenge.Understanding the nature and magnitude of your emissions will be critical to designing sound regulations.The inquiry will show where to focus your efforts and where abatement eff

245、orts are likely to have the most impact.Newfound awareness about a countrys emissions can also be a big kick-start to action,particularly when coupled with the knowledge that the technology already exists to effectively reduce these emissions.It may be useful to think of this step as establishing a

246、baseline that will serve as a benchmark for your regulation.That information will allow you to gauge progress as your regulation is implemented.This is a useful reference point even if your regulation does not explicitly reference a baseline for instance,if you are imposing a prescriptive requiremen

247、t for degasification systems.Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|34 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Estimated level of emissions Most likely,you will need to develop an initial estimate of your emissions to use as reference point in setting your goals and

248、 tracking progress.Given that CMM emissions vary significantly depending on the gassiness of the mine,production rates,coal permeability and other factors and that data collection and reporting requirements may be scarce relative to other sectors generating reliable emissions estimates may require a

249、dditional research and planning.By studying data about methane emissions from different points and activities in the mining life cycle,you can track general trends going forward and adjust your policies accordingly.You can take a phased approach for this,looking to estimate emissions from the most l

250、ikely large sources first and undertaking additional efforts as more resources become available.Does your country already have estimates of coal mine sector methane emissions?As a member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC),your country may already compile greenhouse

251、gas inventories:in 2022,28 Parties to the convention reported methane emissions from coal mining.To support this or other regulatory programmes,your jurisdiction may already have reporting requirements in place,for some or all sources of methane.The United States is an example of a country whose nat

252、ional greenhouse gas inventory includes methane emissions from coal mines.The United States has a Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program to collect detailed emissions data from specific sources of GHG emissions from underground coal mines.This is used to develop the Inventory of US Greenhouse Gas Emission

253、s and Sinks,which estimates total emissions in the country and reviews emissions data since 1990.Initially,the information available even under a mandatory reporting regime may be quite limited.That is to be expected and can be managed.As you learn more about methane emissions in your jurisdiction,y

254、ou can amend inventory reporting rules to collect better information and amend abatement policies to match reality on the ground.You may start by using information that coal operators already collect for safety or operational issues,such as methane contents of coal seams,flow of ventilation systems,

255、mine depths or the expected year of mine closure.Moreover,as satellites begin producing more publicly available data on methane emissions,you may be able to use such data to confirm and reconcile estimates you have developed based on an inventory of emissions factors.A recent article compared nation

256、al greenhouse gas budgets reported in UNFCCC inventories against atmospheric inversions,providing country-level estimates for the main emitters of methane from fossil fuel operations.See the Monitoring and Reporting section of the Regulatory Toolkit for more information on satellite technologies.Dri

257、ving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|35 I EA.CC BY 4.0.How might you generate in-country emissions estimates?If your country or jurisdiction does not already have a mandatory reporting regime in place,you may be able to collect initial number

258、s from companies operating in your jurisdiction as part of your national emissions inventory or through a data collection exercise.You might also refer to inventories done by countries with similar industry vintage and structure.The IEA Methane Tracker Data Explorer offers country-by-country CMM emi

259、ssions estimates based on the best available data.The estimates in the Tracker are based on mine-specific emissions intensities that consider mine depth,coal type and regulatory oversight.These emissions estimates are a good starting point but ultimately,the development of accurate emissions estimat

260、es based on empirical data should be the goal.In addition,companies in your jurisdiction may already be tracking their methane emissions for corporate governance purposes and might be willing to share what they have learned.If no such information exists,you can look to emissions from similar install

261、ations elsewhere to get a sense for this information.Problem sources The amount of methane in a given coal seam varies widely based on geological and environmental factors,meaning there is no one-size-fits-all approach to CMM abatement.There is a wide variation in the methane intensity of coal produ

262、ction(the amount of methane emitted by unit of coal produced).The worst-performing coal emits as much as 100 times more methane than the best-performing.Figure 5 Indirect CO2 and methane emissions from global coal supply,2021 IEA.CC BY 4.0.Notes:tce=tonnes of coal equivalent.Methane is converted to

263、CO2 equivalents based on the 100year global warming potentials reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report(IPCC,2021),with one tonne of methane equivalent to 30 tonnes of CO2.5001 0001 500 01 0002 0003 0004 0005 000kg CO-eq/tceMillion tonnes of coal equivalentMe

264、thaneTransportExtraction and processingDriving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|36 I EA.CC BY 4.0.Often,a few mines will be responsible for an outsized volume of emissions.These sites could also be the least costly to abate due to high methane

265、 concentrations and economies of scale which makes them an interesting target for policy efforts.Implementing abatement technologies at these sites could open the way to spread such practices to other mines,since the industry will be more familiar with them and institutional barriers less prominent.

266、Coal mine methane emissions vary based on the type of coal produced(steam,coking,lignite),the type of mine(surface,underground,active,abandoned),and other characteristics,including mine depth and age.Deeper coal seams tend to contain more methane than shallower seams,while older seams have higher me

267、thane content than younger seams.Underground mines tend to have higher methane emissions than surface mines.Although most methane emissions occur during the active phase of the coal mining life cycle,gas may continue to leak from abandoned mines for decades in the absence of mitigation measures.This

268、 may include biogenic methane from old mines.Vented emissions(i.e.,intentional methane emissions)are generally related to drainage or ventilation systems.Methane may be drained from undeveloped coal seams in both surface and underground mines.The output is often gas with high methane concentration,w

269、hich can be utilised as an energy source(e.g.,for power generation).In underground mines,to ensure worker safety and avoid the risk of explosion,mine gas is typically mixed with fresh air and released through ventilation shafts.The output is generally air with low methane concentration,known as vent

270、ilation air methane(VAM),which can be oxidised to reduce its climate impact.Fugitive emissions are unintentional methane emissions that occur at every stage of the mining life cycle.Fugitive emissions from coal mines can arise from mine openings,fractured ground and outcrops or post-mining activitie

271、s,such as coal crushing,storage or transport.Methane emissions also occur due to incomplete combustion(i.e.,methane slips from flares,engines,boilers or oxidation systems).When a mine is closed,ventilation shafts and other openings are typically filled with gravel or concrete.However,methane may sti

272、ll migrate through unsealed entries or poorly sealed shafts,as well as through cracks and fissures in the overlying strata leading to emissions for many years.Vents may be installed to control gas migration,but the most effective way to reduce emissions from closed and abandoned mines is to allow na

273、tural mine flooding,which stabilises the hydrostatic pressure on the coal seams.Even under the right conditions,however,mines may take several years to flood,in which time significant amounts of gas may escape.Where flooding is intentional,projects should also consider the risk of acid mine drainage

274、,which can contaminate nearby aquifers and subsoil.Also,there are cases where flooding is not feasible due to the prevailing geological or Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|37 I EA.CC BY 4.0.climatic conditions.To avoid related emission

275、s,mines can be sealed and drainage systems put in place to ensure that emerging gas is captured.Regulators can facilitate the identification of abandoned mines where degasification systems could offer a solution for AMM abatement.For example,the US EPA developed a(non-comprehensive)map of abandoned

276、coal mines to identify priority candidates for AMM recovery and utilisation using company survey data combined with emissions estimates.Abatement solutions The final set of considerations relates to the available technologies and abatement strategies that match your regulatory,industry and emissions

277、 context.Where successful technologies and strategies have been identified,your policy could require their use or set performance standards that can be met through their adoption.In China,the biggest emitter of coal mine methane,a 2020 notice on environmental impact assessments for coal developments

278、 requires improvements in the utilisation rate of coal mine methane.It stipulates the need to use CMM where concentrations are above 8%and encourages its utilisation even when concentrations are below that level.Since the 1990s,China has implemented several large-scale CMM projects for power and hea

279、t generation,some of which have received funding under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol.Some technologies relevant to methane abatement do not directly reduce emissions,but are useful for finding and measuring methane releases.Detection and measurement technologies can help to i

280、dentify unknown sources of CMM or to better understand the magnitude of known sources,which facilitates abatement.Abatement can also depend on the establishment of monitoring and reporting protocols.Emissions captured through greenhouse gas mitigation projects must be verified and validated to be us

281、ed in carbon credit schemes.Thus,establishing a clear framework for monitoring,reporting and verification can support voluntary initiatives to abate CMM.Step 4:Build regulatory capacity After working through Steps 1,2 and 3,you should have a good understanding of the local context including your leg

282、al and regulatory environment,the nature of your industry,and your jurisdictions emissions profile.With a firm grip on your jurisdictions setting,you are ready to start the regulatory development phase.The steps in this phase Steps 4 through 8 will walk you through designing Driving Down Coal Mine M

283、ethane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|38 I EA.CC BY 4.0.and drafting your regulatory proposal,taking care to enhance your institutional capacity and engage with internal and external stakeholders.Do you have the institutional resources and expertise to design and

284、implement your proposed regulation?A good way to start is by considering your agencys capacity,and how it might be most effectively deployed in the regulation of methane emissions from the coal mining sector.Then,depending on the results of your assessment,you will need to develop a plan to increase

285、 the institutions capacity.By capacity,we mean the ability of an agency to understand the methane emissions challenge,to write rules to address that challenge,and to implement and enforce those rules.Capacity,then,encompasses four concepts:political support,trust,expertise and resources.To the exten

286、t you identify deficiencies or areas for improvement,this does not mean that you must wait until you obtain new capacity before developing new policy.No regulator has ever acted under optimal conditions.But by understanding your limitations,you can take targeted steps to reinforce and build capacity

287、,while in the meantime designing regulations that take account of your current situation.Does your agency have the political support to act?The level of political support your agency possesses will determine the path and prognosis for action.Institutional power may be a result of the legal framework

288、 for your government and where your agency sits in the formal structure.Much of it may also be situational a relatively obscure agency may grow in power if its leadership or priorities are close to those of the government,while an agency with a lot of legal authority may nonetheless waste time and r

289、esources battling with another agency that has overlapping jurisdiction.If you do not have obvious political independence or support,this does not mean you cannot act,but circumstances may counsel that you start small,perhaps launching pilot projects or co-operative ventures with energy producers to

290、 prove a concept and engender political support for a broader methane abatement programme.Is your agency trusted by the public or civil society?Some of your power to act may derive from civil society or the general public.You may also have to earn their trust and convey that you can fairly implement

291、 and enforce methane abatement policies.Key stakeholders beyond the regulated community may include members of your own countrys civil society,international organisations working with your government,or coal consumers in other corners of the world.You earn the trust and support of these stakeholders

292、 when they view your actions as promoting the public interest and achieving real emissions Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|39 I EA.CC BY 4.0.reductions.To build this trust,you may want to consider policies that feature transparency du

293、ring rule development and throughout the regulatory process,third-party verification of company activities,and citizen suit or petition powers to encourage enforcement.What relevant expertise resides within your agency?It is important to inventory an agencys expertise as well.Rules written to play t

294、o institutional strengths will be more effective,because staff will be better able to monitor and enforce compliance.Of course,an agency or ministry can always develop a particular expertise through targeted hiring,trainings and professional development.For instance,the Global Methane Initiative,the

295、 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe(UNECE and US EPA developed free training modules to help stakeholders understand the basics of CMM,principles behind CMM capture,and abandoned mine methane.UNECE and EMBER organise Methane Mondays a series of online events to discuss coal mine methane r

296、elated issues.An agency might also supplement its expertise by working with outside experts to understand emissions profiles and to write and implement methane abatement policies,forging partnerships with local universities and non-governmental organisations,working with international organisations

297、and institutions,or co-ordinating with sister agencies with complementary skill sets.Does your agency have sufficient resources to achieve the mission?Resources will also have enormous impact on the type and complexity of your methane abatement rules.Resources may mean budget,number of enforcement p

298、ersonnel,access to sufficient basic information technology resources,or specialised methane detection technologies.A lack of resources will not prevent you from acting,but it will suggest less resource-intensive approaches.An agency with monitoring aircraft at its disposal may build a very different

299、 reporting regime than an agency without a modern computer system or consistent internet access.One regime is not necessarily better than another;problems arise from designing reporting or enforcement regimes without a realistic assessment of an agencys resources.For instance,a small agency with few

300、 personnel may run an effective regime by relying on remote sensors,third-party verification,or self-audits with steep penalties for incomplete or erroneous reporting to enhance enforcement efforts.There is international support available for action on CMM.The Coal Mines Subcommittee of the Global M

301、ethane Initiative provides a series of technical resources for the deployment of methane mitigation technologies in the coal sector.The Climate and Clean Air Coalition supports developing countries in efforts to reduce short lived climate pollutants,including methane,and has funding Driving Down Coa

302、l Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|40 I EA.CC BY 4.0.for the development of related mitigation action plans.The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has recently collaborated with the government of Kazakhstan to develop a National Methane Em

303、issions Inventory and Reduction Programme that will target emissions across a variety of sources,including coal mining.Collaborating with these entities can help fill some resource gaps needed for the development of policies and regulations on CMM.Step 5:Engage stakeholders Before you take any forma

304、l action to regulate methane emissions,you should conduct outreach to the companies that will be subject to the regulation,their workforce,the communities affected by coal development,other regulators within your government,and other segments of civil society.Outreach at this exploratory stage need

305、not be comprehensive,but it should be strategic.Are there allies to shore up for the road ahead?Are there sceptics whose concerns can be mitigated by sharing data or promising an open process?Are there domestic and international partners whose expertise and information can help you set aggressive bu

306、t achievable policy goals?Are there interest groups who deserve a heads-up on your plan to regulate?Can you avoid bureaucratic turf battles later by co-operating with other agencies today?Engaging the firms active in your jurisdiction will be critical.You may be required or directed by political lea

307、dership to discuss your plans with a state-owned firm before proceeding.Some of the international companies working in your jurisdiction may have made climate commitments,and can provide information about methane emissions and abatement approaches based on operations in other countries.Speaking to t

308、hem and soliciting this information before any policy announcement can help to make your initial pledges appear more feasible and informed.Moreover,by sharing your intention with them before going public,you create an opportunity for firms to ask questions,seek assurances and become more positive ab

309、out the endeavour by the time you go to press.Providing information to the public about these outreach efforts and soliciting input from other stakeholders,meanwhile,will build trust in the outcome.Other industry players may also be good targets for outreach.Contractors who conduct many of the activ

310、ities relevant to methane abatement,technology providers,third-party auditors,insurance firms and financial backers may also have important insights that could help you design a more effective policy.Also,coal users,such as the steel industry,might be able to support CMM reduction projects,both at a

311、 domestic and an international level.Some communities or members of civil society may have been pushing you to act so be sure that your process engages with them,acknowledges their leadership and solicits their ongoing support.Other stakeholders often the regulated Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emi

312、ssions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|41 I EA.CC BY munity and industrial consumers of coal will have questions about the impact of policies on the cost of energy.To the extent you are able,you should try to commit to an open process with a transparent assessment of the pol

313、icys costs and benefits.In the early stages of your policy making,you are more likely to employ discreet methods of reaching out to stakeholders on an individual or small group basis.In some cases,you can pair these quiet meetings with a more public gathering.For instance,you might meet with leaders

314、 of a community to discuss your intention to act,and then agree to hold a town hall to listen to community concerns without publicly committing to act.For communities that are not well-versed on the climate and safety risks posed by nearby methane releases,or the steps you envision taking to mitigat

315、e those risks,an outreach strategy might include an educational component as well.In addition,you might seek out strategic opportunities for your agency or ministry staff to speak about methane abatement at conferences that key stakeholders might attend.Even if staff do not formally announce plans t

316、o regulate,their presence can signal that you view methane abatement as an important issue.You may also want to look further down the road,to predict and nurture the types of stakeholder engagement you will need for your policy-making process.In some jurisdictions,regulators may establish advisory b

317、oards that are consulted at particular points.In the United States,“negotiated rule-making”or“reg-neg”(for“regulatory negotiation”)has emerged as an administrative law trend that might also be applicable in the context of methane abatement.Where a rule-making will affect only a few regulated entitie

318、s,an agency may create a committee that fairly represents the different interests at stake and“negotiate”policy language with that committee through a collaborative process.In a less formal variation on the reg-neg approach,some regulators in the United States will conduct an informal information-ga

319、thering exercise or direct a diverse group of stakeholders to negotiate a policy solution before the regulators formally take up the issue.The regulators are not necessarily bound by that informal process,but they know the solution reflects consensus.Stakeholder engagement will take valuable time an

320、d resources,but these early interactions can help you anticipate opposition,tailor policies and save time later in the process.Step 6:Define regulatory objectives Now you can begin to design your regulation.Before you begin drafting,you will need to establish a set of regulatory objectives that you

321、would like to achieve.In essence,this involves answering the question,“What problem are we trying to solve?”From this,you can map backwards to identify the preconditions that are Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|42 I EA.CC BY 4.0.neces

322、sary to solve this problem.As you do this,the information you have gathered in the previous steps will help you set objectives tailored to the specific source makeup and emissions of your industry.There are many different forms a policy goal can take.Some methane abatement policies are based on an e

323、conomy-wide methane reduction goal,others include an industry-wide,sector-specific or facility-specific reduction goals.Goals may be expressed in tonnes of methane reduced,a percentage reduction below historic emissions,or a declining ratio of methane emissions over volume of production.Rather than

324、setting a high-level goal for the whole industry,you may wish to set more granular goals(or sub-goals)for different activities within the industry(e.g.,underground vs.surface mines,or for steam vs.coking coal).You may also consider whether to establish separate objectives for emissions from new mine

325、s and existing mines,and whether to establish a plan for addressing abandoned mines in your jurisdiction.Abatement regulations that do not set an explicit volume,percentage or intensity goal(for instance,a rule to ban VAM venting)still implicitly target reduction.Prescriptive regulations might refle

326、ct a specific goal:for instance,to use degasification systems to capture all gas with a high methane concentration by a certain date.You might also have a few regulatory objectives that are not focused on emissions reductions.For example,when designing a greenhouse gas inventory requirement,you migh

327、t set a goal of having a certain percentage of companies complying with the law within one year.As another example,for a new environmental assessment requirement,you might set a goal of ensuring that all projects approved in the next six months include a specific estimate of the projects impact on m

328、ethane emissions.As you think about your objectives,you may wish to refer to some of the stakeholder conversations you had in the previous step.Communities,companies and civil society will ask why you are acting and what you want to accomplish.They will want to know if your objectives are achievable

329、 with current technology.And they will wonder what this means for them in terms of compliance costs,environmental and safety co-benefits,jobs,and the price of energy.Step 7:Select the appropriate policy design In this step,you will bring together the information you gathered in the previous steps of

330、 this Roadmap and decide which regulatory approaches will be most appropriate to help you meet the regulatory objectives identified in Step 6.As you undertake this exercise,we suggest that you refer to the companion Regulatory Toolkit,which provides in-depth information about the regulatory approach

331、es that Driving Down Coal Mine Methane Emissions Regulatory Roadmap A Regulatory Roadmap and Toolkit PAGE|43 I EA.CC BY 4.0.have been used around the world.Through the Toolkit,we have sought to reference the most common approaches;it is then up to you to select from among those options the ones that

332、 are most appropriate for your context.The Regulatory Toolkit also includes sections on essential elements that are common to most regulatory regimes,for instance reporting and information requirements,as well as monitoring and verification schemes.In designing a policy,it is important to consider p

333、otential unintended adverse consequences of the regulation.For example,while an emission standard adopted by China in 2008 was meant to support the flaring or use of CMM by prohibiting the emissions from coal mine drainage systems with a gas concentration above 30%,evidence from site visits and interviews suggested that the standard may have created an incentive for mine operators to dilute CMM to