ABSTRACT
Global CH4 emissions from energy-related sources are currently estimated to be between 74 and 77Tg each year, with 30-46Tg arising from coal mining (Denman et al, 2007) and so on a par with that released from landfill sites (Chapter 11). This is excluding energy-related emissions attributable to biomass burning (Chapter 7). In the US, energy-related CH4 emissions constituted some 35 per cent of national CH4 emissions in 2007 (US EPA, 2009). The bulk of these emissions arise from CH4 release during fossil fuel extraction, transport, handling and in the use phase. Extraction-related losses are dominated by those from coal mining.
