China's coal mine closures from 2011 to 2019: Unintended water benefits

• Evaluation of water benefits of China’s coal de-capacity policy from 2011 to 2019. • The reduction in mine water, water consumption and wastewater discharge are quantified. • Total water benefits derived from coal mine closures amounted to 14.0 billion tons. • 33.2 % of water benefits were concentrated in the Middle Yellow River area of China. In the global push towards carbon neutrality, the gradual reduction of coal has become a prominent topic of discussion. While the potential negative impacts of coal mine closures have drawn considerable attention, the benefits for water resources remain underexplored. This study seeks to analyze the effects of China’s coal mining de-capacity policies on water resources between 2011 and 2019, employing a bottom-up accounting approach. During this period, 1,610.4 Mt of coal mining capacity was closed, with 55.1 % of the total closures concentrated in water-scarce regions. The shutdown of coal mines unexpectedly generated substantial water co-benefits, including reductions in mine water, water consumption and wastewater discharge, accounting for 8,697.7 Mt, 2,701.5 Mt and 2,627.9 Mt, respectively. These water benefits were primarily observed in the Middle Yellow River and Southwest regions of China, with provinces such as Shanxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Henan and Inner Mongolia collectively contributing 58.6 % of the national total. The findings highlight the positive impacts of coal de-capacity policies on regional groundwater protection and ecosystems, offering valuable insights for promoting coal withdrawal as part of a sustainable energy transition.