Managing methane

摘要

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas (GHG), with a global warming potential 21 times that of carbon dioxide (CO_2) over a 100 year period. The term coal mine methane (CMM) refers to methane that is released or captured in advance of, during, or following physical coal mining activities at either surface or underground mines. The release of CMM from active and abandoned mining operations is a major source of GHG emissions. Globally, CMM accounts for approximately 6% of anthropogenic methane emissions. In 2005, CMM emissions accounted for about 30 billion m~3 (400 million t) of CO_2 equivalents (CO_2e). By 2020, CMM emissions are expected to increase by 12% over 2005 emissions.