Too often I hear skeptics tell me that it doesn’t matter what we do about eliminating our carbon emissions here in the US because China is opening a new coal plant every week.
While that was true at one point, it is not the case anymore.
And not only have China’s coal plant openings slowed, but the Chinese are now recognize the pollution they have instigated and are turning in a new direction. They are beginning to initiate steps to clean up their air and water and cut their CO2 emissions. Granted it’s only a beginning but as Confucius said, “the journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step.”[divider scroll_text=””]
Could China’s CO2 Emissions Peak Before 2020??
Published: Monday, April 14, 2014
If China delivers on plans to slash its coal use, global carbon dioxide emissions could peak before 2020, according to environmental group Greenpeace.
Targets set by 12 of 34 Chinese provinces would lower the country’s coal consumption by 655 million metric tons and reduce CO2 emissions by 1.3 billion tons by the end of the decade. Those reductions would lower China’s carbon production equivalent to the levels of Canada and Australia combined.
China’s coal use is already declining, off the back of public concern over the environmental and economic damage caused by dangerous air pollution levels in major eastern cities. Chinese coal use has contributed half of global CO2 emissions this decade, but consumption of the fuel rose 2.6 percent last year, down from 9.4 percent on 2011. China was also the top producer and importer of coal in 2012. Li Shuo, a policy officer at Greenpeace, said China’s push against coal could reinvigorate U.N. talks over fighting climate change next year (Stefan Nicola,Bloomberg, April 11). — HG
