Greenhouse gas contributions from coal mining in Australia and New Zealand

Three important gases commonly associated with coal mining, i.e. methane (CH 4 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and carbon monoxide (CO), are recognised as greenhouse gases. In greenhouse gas inventories, estimates of the volume of these gases released by coal mining, particularly methane, appear to be grossly miscalculated. In 1988, 0.8 Mt of underground coal was mined in New Zealand, emitting 12 Gg of methane. In Australia in the same year, two longwall operations emitted 74.3 Gg of methane. Methane from coalseams as an energy resource is being under‐utilised.