A key mining region in Australia, the world’s top exporter of metallurgical coal used in steelmaking, is producing vastly more methane emissions than global competitors, according to new analysis. For every ton of coal produced in the Bowen Basin region in Queensland state, an average of 7.5 kilograms of the potent greenhouse gas is released, said Kayrros SAS , a geoanalytics firm that studied satellite observations from the European Space Agency. That’s 47% higher than the average global methane intensity estimated by the International Energy Agency, according to the company. Using raw materials with a higher methane intensity increases the challenge for end users, including steelmakers, who are facing increasing pressure from governments and investors to curb pollution and develop production methods that use alternatives to coal. Australia, which accounts for about half of the world’s metallurgical coal exports, is forecast to increase shipments through 2023 and this month […]