International Activities

International Partners

Documents & News

The Methane to Markets Partnership is an international initiative that advances cost-effective, near-term methane recovery and use as a clean energy source.

As the map below illustrates, the EPA Coalbed Methane Outreach Program (CMOP) has worked with many coal-producing countries around the world for over a decade to promote coal mine methane (CMM) development and use. Today, CMOP conducts its international activities under the auspices of the Methane to Markets (M2M) Partnership.

The Methane to Markets Partnership is hosting an Expo in 2010 in India. This event will feature project opportunities in four methane sectors, technical and policy sessions, and meetings of sectoral Committees.

More information on M2M coal activities >>

On behalf of M2M, CMOP developed 32 comprehensive profiles that characterize the coal and coal mine methane sectors of 20 M2M partner countries and an additional 12 coal producing nations. The profiles are preceded by an Introduction section with summary tables and statistics.

EPA has supported 11 grants for projects promoting coal mine methane recovery and utilization under the Methane to Markets Partnership. To date, these projects are located in China, India, Mongolia, Nigeria, and Poland.
More information about these projects >>

Access the Coal Mine Methane Global Overview >>

CMOP maintains a strong relationship with four M2M partner countries in particular. The program established and now supports Coal mine/Coalbed methane (CMM/CBM) Clearinghouses or other in-country collaborative efforts in these countries.

CMOP works in close collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) and with the International Energy Agency (IEA) on coal mine methane issues. The IEA recently published a report that documents successful methane recovery and use policies around the world: Energy Sector and Methane Recovery Use (IEA, 2009).

CMOP represents the US EPA on the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate (APP) Coal Mining Task Force. APP engages the governments and private sectors of Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United States in an innovative effort that will promote investment in clean technologies, goods, and services.

Map of the world displaying the flags of the fifteen countries that have worked with CMOP since its inception: Australia, Bulgaria, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Poland, Russian Federation, South Africa, Ukraine, and United Kingdom.