Methane Mitigation: Bridging Language, Science, Global Citizenship & Community Arts In Climate Abatement

Introduction

I spent a week in Sydney, Australia, at the 12th International Mine Ventilation Congress 2024 in August. Whilst this doesn't appear to be a prominent event for a textile artist, I was there to listen and learn about the mitigation of methane (a subject I've become fascinated with since studying for my Carbon Literacy qualification, addressing my family's polluting legacy as one on the weaving pioneers of the Industrial Revolution, and investigating the history and current practices of mining having relocated to Derbyshire.)

I had the privilege of meeting miners, NGOs, world experts, and academics. Whilst I do not purport to understand the science of this field, I do have a grasp of its surface contents. As a member of human society (and a 'global citizen', which will be probed later in this blog), I advocate fiercely for climate abatement and a related just transition, having seen the continued effects of abruptly stopping coal production in Derbyshire and the poverty and deprivation this has brought and continues to bring.

I believe in conversation, consideration and compromise to effect 'just' change.

To achieve this, I've had to learn the language of this arena. I want to share a few key components to allow everyone to express their views and understand each other. This way, I also have an aid memoir.

Key Methane Mitigation Terms & Concepts In The World Of Ventilation & Particularly Mining

Greenhouse Gas (GHG)

Certain gases in the atmosphere around us that increase the world's temperature. The five most abundant GHGs in order of magnitude are:

• Water vapour

• Carbon dioxide

• Methane

• Nitrous oxide

• Ozone.

Mitigation (In A Mining Sense)

Methane

Coal Mine Methane (CMM)

Underground Mining

Surface Mining

Gassy Mine

'Low Hanging Fruit'

Ventilation Air Methane (VAM)

Organic Compound

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)

Regenerative Thermal Oxidiser (RTO)

Catalytic Thermal Oxidiser (CTO)

Safety Integrity Level (SIL)

'Nobody Ever Saw Anything Like This Before'

The conference offered a wealth of knowledge and inspiration, the key terms I've recorded above (my memory not being what it used to be), so I can continue to understand and engage as fully as possible. However, by pure coincidence, I stumbled upon an article in The Guardian titled 'Nobody Ever Saw Anything Like This Before,' which explained clearly the other side of the methane coin, the methane generated by nature. Brazil's minister for the environment, Marina Silva, said:

'We are seeing a collision of two phenomena; one natural, ...and the other a phenomenon produced by humans, which is (resulting in) the change in the Earth's temperature.'

Frozen Methane Bubbles In Abraham Lake

As the release of methane into the earth's atmosphere intensifies climate breakdown, it must be curbed through a comprehensive approach involving both humans and nature.

The Guardian article's author, Rob Jackson, writes that 'controlling methane provides our best, and perhaps only, lever for shaving peak global temperatures over the next few decades...' as he describes the global catastrophe facing the Amazon, the Arctic, tropical wetlands, increasing ocean temperatures (close to temperatures that could cook salmon), drought, tribes being unable to get help as the rivers they use for transportation had dried up, peat fires, and methane emitting microbes on the rise. The article is shocking in its content, and even the scientists quoted admit how troubled they are with this unprecedented combination of natural and manufactured destructive circumstances.

Tropical Wetlands

In the past 20 years, humans have emitted over 3 billion tons of methane. Reducing these emissions within a decade or two could prevent 0.5°C of warming, making methane the most impactful greenhouse gas in addressing the climate crisis. However, according to Jackson, we must also address the methane emitted by nature to save the planet; mine methane mitigation appears to be just part of the answer.

The most significant natural methane discharges originate from wetlands and seasonally flooded tropical forests. These emissions are anticipated to increase with rising temperatures. Tropical wetlands produce so much methane due to their warm, wet, and low-oxygen conditions, which are ideal for the growth of methane-emitting microbes.

Global Citizenship

We must do 'more than sounding alarms...(and turn) climate despair into climate repair.'  Robertson

Whilst my efforts to learn, understand, communicate with others, and improve my own living and artistic practices may not appear to be anything more than a drop in the ocean, I echo the beliefs of Laura D'Olimpio (Lecturer in Philosophy, University of Notre Dame Australia) for the need to feel as a 'global citizen' and understand the moral obligation to make efforts to strive for collaborative and cooperative action positively, no matter how small these may appear.

Conclusion

Global Citizenship

As I reflect on the enlightening experiences from the conference and immerse myself in the language of climate change, specifically the intricacies of methane in mining and nature, I am enveloped in a sense of purpose and unwavering determination. The profound wisdom extracted from The Guardian article has sparked a fire within me, and I now grasp the imperative two-phase mission to mitigate methane in both industry and natural processes. While time may seem fleeting, it's our chance to act boldly. Coupled with this intellectual depth, my global travels throughout Australia have enhanced my understanding of the profound responsibilities of global citizenship and morality. It feels only fitting to conclude this methane mitigation adventure with the immortal words of D'Olimpio, as they encapsulate the enthusiasm I feel and the zeal I hold to take into the community arts:

'Seeing ourselves as global citizens involves realising that we all live on and share planet Earth. This involves a shift in our moral perspective whereby we care about others we have never met in countries we have never visited. Being a global citizen involves focusing on what we have in common rather than on our differences.'