China must cap coal use by 2020

CHINA needs to hit its “peak coal” use by 2020 if it is to fulfil its commitment to end growth in climate-warming carbon emissions by the end of the next decade, a government think tank said yesterday. China pledged for the first time to end growth in carbon emissions by “around 2030” last week, and it has also vowed to raise the share of non-fossil fuels in its total energy mix to 20 percent by the same year. To stick to those targets, China needs to cap coal consumption at less than 4.1 billion tons in 2020, up about 13 percent from the 3.6 billion tons burnt last year. Su Ming, a researcher with the Energy Research Institute, run by the National Development and Reform Commission, said while “peak coal” needed to come in 2020, industrialised eastern regions needed to cut consumption earlier if targets were to be met. Its economy relied heavily on coal during the past three decades, but slowing and eventually reducing use of the dirty fuel was vital in efforts to tackle smog and greenhouse gas emissions. – Reuters