M-ICR010
Public consultation on the first version from 18. December 2025 - 18. January 2026
Coal Abatement for the Energy Transition
Methodology developer
Sectoral scope
Mining/Minerals
ID:
M-ICR010
Summary:
This methodology is for the development of projects that permanently avoid the mining and combustion of commercially viable coal assets. This methodology is globally applicable. A project-specific Declaration of a Reserve will detail the volumes of coal (and optionally also methane) that it would be economically viable and technically feasible to extract under current conditions. The Declaration of a Reserve shall be developed in conformance with an accepted standard or code, and shall have been completed no more than 24 months prior to the Project Start Date. The Declaration of a Reserve will typically include:
Geological Assessment: Analysis of the coal deposit's structure, thickness, depth, and quality (e.g., calorific value, sulfur content).
Economic Feasibility: Determination of whether extracting the coal is profitable given market conditions, production costs, and potential revenues.
Technical Viability: Assessment of whether existing technology and mining methods can effectively and safely extract the coal.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Verification that mining the deposit complies with local, national, and international laws and regulations.
Environmental and Social Considerations: Evaluation of the potential impacts of mining on the environment and nearby communities, and plans for mitigation.
Under this methodology multiple non-contiguous mineral rights/assets can be brought together, under one or more Declarations of a Reserve, and developed as a single project. The project proponent will demonstrate a legal right to a mining license to implement mining activities. The project proponent will then implement legal mechanisms to permanently prohibit the coal from being extracted. Project proponents will be required to demonstrate project revenues are not used to develop and extract coal assets elsewhere. Project proponents will also be required to demonstrate that permanent legal barriers have been put in place that prohibit any material declines in aboveground woody biomass and Soil Organic Carbon. A monitoring plan will be put in place to ensure the coal is permanently sequestered, and other mandatory project aspects are implemented. Quantification of emission reductions will be simple, conservative, and robust, coupling published emission factors, with expert-derived studies. A robust, conservative, and significant leakage deduction will be applied to all projects. Significant Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) co-benefits will be realized and monitored by all projects developed under this methodology. Projects developed under this methodology will send a profound signal to the market, that it is cost-effective to permanently retire commercially viable coal assets, thus driving emission reductions at significant scale.
Documentation and public consultation
Public consultation 18. December 2025 - 19. January 2026
Public consultation form
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