Over 8 million tonne of methane emissions unreported by Indonesian coal miners: Report, ET EnergyWorld

New Delhi: Indonesian coal mining companies are significantly overlooking methane emissions, with estimates showing over 8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions unreported. This gap, identified in a recent study by Ember, reveals that methane emissions from ten of the country’s largest coal producers account for more than a third of their potential total emissions, yet remain largely unreported.

According to the report, while Indonesian coal miners have started to implement CO2 reduction measures, the potent greenhouse gas methane is not adequately accounted for in their emissions inventories. Currently, only four major companies — Indo Tambangraya Megah, Bukit Asam, Golden Energy Mines, and Indika Energy — report their methane emissions.

The study underscores a broader issue within the sector, noting that the omission of methane from environmental strategies undermines the decarbonization efforts of these companies. This comes at a time when Indonesia’s government has approved an increase in the coal production quota for 2024 to 922 million tonnes, up from 710 million tonnes, adding complexity to the sustainability challenges faced by the industry.

Dody Setiawan, Ember’s Senior Analyst Climate and Energy for Indonesia, emphasized the importance of methane measurement in coal mining decarbonization. “Big coal mining companies in Indonesia have started to reduce emissions through various decarbonization measures. However, most of them have overlooked the significant impacts of methane emissions within their coal businesses, and none have planned to address it,” Setiawan stated.

Aryanto Nugroho, National Coordinator – Indonesia, Publish What You Pay, also highlighted the broader implications of the report. “The coal mining sector could potentially contribute to larger greenhouse gas emissions beyond their use for generating electricity. The recommendations of this report can be used as the initial steps for the government and coal mining businesses to further contribute to net-zero,” Nugroho explained.

The findings call for a strategic revision in how methane emissions are reported and managed, aligning with national and international environmental standards, to better reflect the true impact of the coal industry on global warming.

• Published On Jul 29, 2024 at 03:26 PM IST

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