Addressing barriers to global deployment of best practices to reduce methane emissions from coal mines.

Low energy prices coupled with a lack of carbon financing options have led to shuttering many emission-reducing projects located around the world at gassy coal mines. In late 2013, the Global Methane Initiative (GMI) Coal Subcommittee organized a panel of experts to discuss issues related to investment in coal mine methane (CMM) and ventilation air methane (VAM) emission reduction. The consensus of the panel is that the precipitous fall in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) carbon prices from the 2011 high of €15 to the 2013 low of €0.50 has had a severe impact on project development and maintenance. Nevertheless, the CDM process demonstrated that carbon financing works, and there are hopeful signs that regional and national markets may provide incentives for renewed CMM and VAM project development. The GMI Coal Subcommittee actively seeks solutions to the challenges facing CMM and VAM emission reduction projects and offers support to its stakeholders through meetings, publications and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]