Methane cannot be seen or smelled, but it accelerates the climate crisis and can be released during the exploration, operation, closure, and abandonment of coal mines. Understanding what this gas is, why it traps much more heat than CO₂, and how it relates to mining helps reveal a problem that remains largely invisible in Colombia.

Methane contributes significantly to global warming, and coal mining in Colombia is part of this problem. Its emissions can occur during mine exploration, operation, closure, and post-closure, yet gaps remain in how they are measured and controlled. Accounting for all emission sources makes it possible to demand greater transparency, protect health, and move toward a

Methane associated with coal mining poses climate, labor, and regulatory challenges for Colombia. Measuring it properly, reporting it transparently, and verifying its emissions are key to making public decisions based on technical criteria and a human rights approach. This material presents measurement methods according to mine type, mitigation options, and challenges linked to new international

Colombia is still regulating fixed-source emissions under a standard issued more than 15 years ago. Today, sectors such as coal-fired power plants and coke manufacturing require stricter rules to protect health, air quality, and territories exposed to pollution. Based on a comparison with international standards, this material shows the gaps in Colombian regulation and the

The monitoring, reporting, and verification system for emissions helps determine whether Colombia is making progress toward its climate goals and where improvements are needed. Strengthening it is key to properly tracking mitigation measures in the mining-energy sector, especially in coal. This material explains the relationship between the national and sectoral MRV systems and proposes improvements

The coal sector generates emissions at different stages of its production chain: extraction, post-mining, abandoned mines, transport, industrial use, electricity generation, and coke production. Colombia needs more precise and comparable information to meet its climate commitments and guide better public decisions. This material explains how these emissions are classified, which institutions should monitor them, and

Colombia’s membership in the Powering Past Coal Alliance sends a political signal in the face of the climate crisis. The country has the conditions to plan a gradual phaseout of coal in electricity generation, without improvisation or abrupt closures. This material explains what the PPCA is, what its requirements are, and why international technical support

Colombia has 14 coal-fired power plants, but they account for less than 9% of the electricity system’s effective capacity. Even so, drought and energy reliability are often used as arguments to keep them operating. This material explains how the reliability charge works, how much the country has paid to these plants, and what alternatives could

The transition of the electricity system beyond coal has already begun, and Colombia can accelerate it through concrete decisions. Ending financing for coal-fired power plants, rethinking the electricity market, redirecting resources toward renewable energy, and setting closure dates for the oldest plants are possible steps. The challenge is to plan this shift with justice, ensuring