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In Tougher Times, China Falls Back on Coal. As worries mount over a slowing economy and energy security, coal use has climbed despite Beijing’s claims to be leading climate-change fight
Wall Street Journal ^ | December 23, 2019 | Stephanie Yang

Posted on 12/23/2019 4:22:06 PM PST by karpov

China’s efforts to wean itself off coal are losing steam, as the world’s biggest carbon emitter is putting economic growth and energy security above its ambitions to be a leader in combating climate change.

Coal consumption is back near peak levels after rebounding over the past three years, despite China’s pledges to make steep cuts in what is the country’s most prevalent and polluting source of energy. The country is building more coal-fired plant capacity than the rest of the world combined.

Infrastructure stimulus measures to offset the impact of the prolonged trade war with the U.S. have boosted consumption, while Beijing has taken a softer stance on coal use after a missile attack in September on Saudi Arabia, China’s biggest source of oil imports, underscored the country’s reliance on foreign energy.

The renewed focus on coal has raised doubts among analysts over China’s commitment to cutting carbon emissions and frustrated the European Union, which has leaned on China to uphold the Paris Agreement since President Trump pulled the U.S. out in 2017. While China is on track to meet its goals through 2020 and 2030, its mixed signals on coal suggest Beijing is less willing to pursue green-energy goals and join the EU in setting more ambitious emission targets.

“China was seen, particularly by the developing and emerging economies, as the leader, saying look at all the wonderful stuff we’re doing,” said Philip Andrews-Speed, senior principal fellow at the Energy Studies Institute at the National University of Singapore. But the country has continued construction on new coal plants even as it aims to phase out the fossil fuel, he said: “There’s a deep contradiction in this.”

In an October speech at a National Energy Commission meeting, Premier Li Keqiang called for the development of the coal industry

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: carbon; carbonemissions; china; climatechange; climatehoax; coal; emissions; fakescience
The Chinese are not going to strangle their economy over climate change, and neither should we.
1 posted on 12/23/2019 4:22:06 PM PST by karpov
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To: karpov

Democrats want us to give up clean coal but the Chinese don’t have to give up theirs.

Funny how we’re the ones who have to make all the sacrifices to keep Guam from capsizing.


2 posted on 12/23/2019 4:26:43 PM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: karpov

Chinese CO2 doesn’t cause Climate Change, only America’s does. Everybody knows that, because Science.


3 posted on 12/23/2019 4:30:13 PM PST by rightwingcrazy (;-,)
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To: karpov

Send Greta “how dare you” Thunberg to lecture them.

I wonder if Greta speaks Mandarin. If not, her message may get lost in translation. Her “how dare you” histrionics likewise, may just not translate to the Chinese.


4 posted on 12/23/2019 4:34:49 PM PST by Dilbert San Diego
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To: karpov

China doesn’t need to switch to “renewable energy”...they’re already Communist.


5 posted on 12/23/2019 4:35:54 PM PST by Edward Teach
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To: karpov

Scoldilocks will condemn China in 3...2...never.


6 posted on 12/23/2019 4:39:15 PM PST by simpson96
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To: karpov
IMO this is about hard currency in the era of one Donald J. Trump, President of the United States. China has to pay hard currency for natural gas from places other than the former USSR, but not for their own coal.

Notice that China has also They'stopped enlarging their new "islands" in the South China Sea, or adding more, and also cut way back on future naval construction. Both of those are due to recent hard currency shortages caused by American tariffs.

7 posted on 12/23/2019 4:53:54 PM PST by Thud
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To: karpov
Good for them! There's nothing wrong with coal. It's good stuff.
 
8 posted on 12/23/2019 5:01:59 PM PST by Governor Dinwiddie (Guide me, O thou great redeemer, pilgrim through this barren land.)
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To: karpov

If you are building 1200 new coal fired power plants reducing the use of coal was never a goal, sigh, these tools are just plain brain dead


9 posted on 12/23/2019 5:07:05 PM PST by blitz88
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To: karpov

Is there a response from the retarded teenager? Is she marching on Beijing?


10 posted on 12/23/2019 5:22:10 PM PST by samtheman (U.S. out of the U.N. --- U.N. out of the U.S.)
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To: karpov

China produces a lot of real pollution. But the leftscum could not care less. They want to cripple America and the West. That’s the entire goal of the man-made global warming scam.


11 posted on 12/23/2019 5:25:18 PM PST by piytar (If it was not for double standards, the Democrats and the left would have NO standards.)
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To: karpov

“The Chinese are not going to strangle their economy over climate change, ...” but Oregon, Washington and Montana will as they close all their coal plants. Recently, (Local Portland TV investigator) brown outs will occur in the PNW in 4 to 6 years.


12 posted on 12/23/2019 5:26:05 PM PST by Cold Heart (.)
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To: karpov

Yeah, the demands of the “climate warmists” are crazy... and incidentally favorrable to China... incidentally...
Incidentally., never mind where there money come from...


13 posted on 12/23/2019 5:26:42 PM PST by mrsmith (Dumb sluts (M / F) : Lifeblood of the Media, Backbone of the Democrat/RINO Party!)
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To: karpov

there is no valid reason to “wean” off coal other than unavailability and cost.


14 posted on 12/23/2019 5:30:43 PM PST by bert ( (KE. NP. N.C. +12) Progressives are existential American enemies)
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To: simpson96

Greta could start a war.


15 posted on 12/23/2019 6:26:55 PM PST by Colt1851Navy (What was wrong with Nixon?)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

She goes and pulls that nonsense over there, and they may just show her what walls are for.


16 posted on 12/23/2019 6:36:06 PM PST by DoughtyOne (Pledge: "...and to the Democracy for which it stands..." I give up. Use the democRat meme...)
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To: karpov
Chinese air pollution is bad enought o see from space

This is a NASA Earth Observator pic (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/92054/smog-smothers-solar-energy-in-china) more on pollution in China at link.

17 posted on 12/23/2019 7:09:29 PM PST by ASOC (Having humility really means one is rarely humiliated)
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To: karpov

Cheaper energy equals cheaper production


18 posted on 12/23/2019 8:09:17 PM PST by dila813
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To: karpov

Climate change fighters leading the way and wearing the newest of fashion trend the climate change pollution mask


19 posted on 12/24/2019 2:31:53 AM PST by ronnie raygun (nic dip.com)
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