The Mine Methane Protocol provides guidance on how to quantify, monitor, report, and verify greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions associated with destroying methane that would have otherwise been vented to the atmosphere from active and abandoned underground coal and Category III gassy trona mines.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 28 times greater than CO₂ over a 100-year timeframe. Carbon crediting can help drive immediate and significant emission reductions of this climate superpollutant.

The Mine Methane Protocol is designed to apply across jurisdictions, with geographic-specific requirements addressed through jurisdiction modules. The U.S. Module is also available for public comment.

Public comments
Comments are due by Friday, August 21 to policy@climateactionreserve.org.

Public comment webinar
The Reserve is hosting a webinar to discuss the draft Mine Methane Protocol and solicit public comment on Thursday, August 13, 2026.

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Modular protocol structure
Under the Reserve’s modular protocol structure, each sector is governed by a single protocol that establishes fundamental requirements applicable globally. Geographic-specific considerations, such as regulatory alignment and performance standard test, are covered in jurisdiction modules for the protocol.

This structure enables more efficient expansion of the Reserve’s high-quality carbon crediting program into new jurisdictions while maintaining rigorous, locally-informed standards. Effective immediately, stakeholders can propose the development of additional jurisdiction modules for this protocol via our New Jurisdiction Module form and can submit projects in this sector anywhere in the world, including in jurisdictions where a jurisdiction module has not yet been developed. This early submittal allows project developers to establish a submittal date, signal interest in the development of the jurisdiction module, and, once the jurisdiction module is approved, proceed immediately to request listing and registration.

➡️More on our modular protocol structure