China updates coalbed gas emission standard

China has revised its emission standard for coalbed gas, mandating utilization of such gas with a methane concentration higher than 8 percent, as it strives to enhance emission control of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

According to the country's 2008 standard, it was only compulsory for coal miners to utilize coalbed gas with a methane concentration higher than 30 percent.

As the second most abundant greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, methane has more than 80 times the warming power of CO2 during its first 20 years in the atmosphere.

The revision is driven by the urgent need to combat climate change enabled by technological advancements, said a media release by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment on Thursday, stressing the revision as the first one that has happened since the standard was announced in 2008.

The ministry also noted the revision as a concrete measure to implement an action plan jointly published by 11 national government bodies, including the ministry and the National Development and Reform Commission, on methane emission control late last year.

The utilization of methane in coal mining, as well as oil and gas exploitation, will be strengthened, according to the document.

By 2025, the coal mining sector is expected to collect 6 billion cubic meters of coalbed gas for utilization, it noted.