The objective of the project is to strengthen national capacity of the UNECE and other selected Member States for environmentally responsible methane management, through the dissemination of best practices in the abatement, recovery, and use of methane through coordination of activities of the Research Centre of Excellence on Coal Mine Methane in Shanxi (RCE-CMM in Shanxi) with activities of other International Centres of Excellence on Coal Mine Methane (ICE-CMMs) operating under the auspices of the UNECE Group of Experts on Coal Mine Methane. ICE-CMMs are non-profit entities subject to the national laws of host Member States. The centres support capacity-building activities in Member States and serve as a platform for discussion of safety, environmental and economic aspects of coal mine methane (CMM). The centres focus on issues such as effective drainage and use of methane in coal mines and cost-effective and socially responsible use or destruction of captured methane. In addition to facilitating exchange of knowledge and experience, hosting visits of experts, and organizing professional trainings, the Centres contribute to improvement and dissemination of the UNECE Best Practices Guidance for Effective Methane Drainage and Use in Coal Mines. The Best Practices Guidance is a flagship publication issued by the UNECE Group of Experts on CMM and endorsed by ECOSOC (Decision 2011/222), which invited the Member States, international organizations and the regional commissions to take appropriate measures to ensure its worldwide application. As of today, two centres have been established, the International Centre of Excellence in China (i.e. RCE-CMM in Shanxi) and the International Centre of Excellence in Poland.