‘Wake-up call’: methane emissions from Australian coalmines more than double official estimates, report finds

Methane emissions from Australian coalmines are more than double the official government estimates, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The IEA’s Global Methane Tracker found that coalmines in Queensland and New South Wales emitted approximately 1.7 million tonnes of methane in 2025, compared to the government’s reported figure of 0.82 million tonnes. This discrepancy highlights a significant underreporting issue, with methane emissions from coalmines equating to around 25 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in terms of global warming potential. The IEA’s findings are based on satellite measurements, a method not currently employed by the Australian government in its emissions reporting. Previous IEA assessments suggested methane emissions from Australia’s coal and gas sectors could be up to 60% higher than official data. Methane analyst Dr Sabina Assan from the energy thinktank Ember emphasized that the underreporting represents a critical gap in Australia’s climate data and called for urgent policy alignment with climate science to reduce methane emissions rapidly. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, about 80 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, making its reduction a key strategy for slowing near-term global warming. The IEA report also noted that 35% of methane emissions from human activities originate from fossil fuel operations, yet emissions from this sector have not shown signs of decline despite available mitigation technologies. Climate analyst Tim Baxter stressed the importance of urgent and permanent methane cuts, describing them as one of the most effective ways to mitigate climate change while transitioning away from fossil fuels. Australia’s coal industry, as a major methane emitter, bears significant responsibility in addressing these emissions to meet international climate commitments and contribute to global efforts to limit temperature rise.