Global coal trade induces large CH4 emissions

Coal mining is a major source of global anthropogenic methane (CH₄) emissions contributing to climate change. The volume of coal traded has reached new heights in recent years, however, existing studies have ignored the impact of CH₄ emissions induced by coal trade. This study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of global coal trade-related CH₄ emissions from 1990 to 2021. Global coal trade-related CH₄ emissions increased 3.5 times from around 1.4 Tg to 6.1 Tg during this period. Examining past global coal trade activities reveals the extraordinary growth and prominence of the Asia-Pacific region. Australia, Indonesia, and Russia dominated trade-related CH₄ emissions, accounting for 80.4% in 2021. Hub economies have the potential to drive significant mitigation of trade-related CH₄ emissions through energy consumption transitions, the deployment of emissions mitigation technologies, and changes in trade structure. Our findings shed light on identifying trade-induced emissions hotspots and managing coal-related CH₄ to mitigate climate change.