China's Coal Pollution: A Critical Crisis

China burns more coal than the rest of the world combined, and coal burning is the single largest contributor to air pollution deaths in the country. In 2013, 366,000 premature deaths were attributed to coal, with the burning of coal and biomass fuels in households being a major cause of disease. China's leaders have introduced policies aimed at reducing coal's share of the energy mix, including capping coal use, removing dispersed coal from urban areas, and switching from coal to natural gas heating. However, China's abundance of coal has long been viewed as a way to avoid becoming overly dependent on foreign energy suppliers, and the country's emissions of greenhouse gases rose last year at the fastest pace in a decade.

Coal is responsible for 366,000 premature deaths in China in 2013

China burns more coal than the rest of the world combined and has accelerated mining and the construction of coal-fired power plants. Coal is responsible for about 40% of the fine particulate matter known as PM 2.5 in China's atmosphere. In 2013, coal burning caused 366,000 premature deaths in China, according to Chinese and American researchers. The study attributed 155,000 deaths in 2013 to industrial coal burning, and 86,500 deaths to coal burning at power plants.

Indoor air pollution from solid fuel use in China is responsible for approximately 420,000 premature deaths annually. More than 60% of China's population is rural, and most still use biomass and coal fuels that produce substantial pollution in simple stoves. Even in urban areas, many communities continue to rely on coal. The combustion of biomass and coal is the dominant source of indoor air pollution in the country and significantly contributes to the total burden of ill health.

China has long viewed coal as the best way to avoid becoming overly dependent on foreign energy suppliers. However, the country's consumption of coal alone produces more carbon emissions annually than total energy-related US emissions in a year. China's Paris commitment includes a promise to install 800 to 1,000 gigawatts of new renewable capacity by 2030, an amount equivalent to the capacity of the entire US electricity system. To bridge the gap, China is rolling out new technologies to drastically reduce local air pollution and climate emissions from the remaining coal plants.

China emits almost a third of all man-made greenhouse gases

China's greenhouse gas emissions stem mainly from coal burning, including coal power, coal mining, and blast furnaces producing iron and steel. In 2019, coal accounted for 65% of the electricity generation mix in China. China's coal production alone accounts for 14% of historical global emissions. China also has the largest number of motor vehicles in the world, with 417 million registered in 2022, and road transportation contributed 84% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector.

China's energy economy is in the process of a shift towards renewables. China's Paris Agreement commitment includes a promise to install 800 to 1,000 gigawatts of new renewable capacity by 2030. China is also the world's dominant manufacturer and user of solar panels and wind turbines. In 2020, China's leader Xi Jinping pledged to "achieve carbon neutrality before 2060".

China's coal-fired power plants are cleaner than those in the US

China's energy markets send mixed signals about the nation's policy intentions and emissions trajectory. Renewable energy analysts tend to focus on China's massive renewable expansion and view the nation as a global clean energy leader. China is the world's dominant manufacturer and user of solar panels and wind turbines.

However, China also burns more coal than the rest of the world combined and has accelerated mining and the construction of coal-fired power plants, driving up the country's emissions of energy-related greenhouse gases. China has long viewed coal as the best way to avoid becoming overly dependent on foreign energy suppliers. China's consumption of coal alone produces more carbon emissions annually than total energy-related US emissions in a year.

In the United States, investing in next-generation clean coal plants is not a good solution because natural gas is cheap, plentiful, and lower-emitting than all but the most expensive coal-fired power. In China, renewable energy expansion takes time, and citizens are demanding cleaner air and immediate improvements.

China's emissions standards are stricter than comparable US standards

China's coal consumption has led to the country emitting almost a third of all man-made greenhouse gases, more than the US, Europe, and Japan combined. China's energy economy is a massive ship that cannot turn on a dime. The country has 1.3 billion people, compared to the US's 325 million, and needs a much larger electricity system.

While China's overall environmental risk regulation is somewhat more stringent in the United States, the difference is much smaller than the conventional impression would suggest. China's emissions standards for conventional air pollutants from coal-fired power plants are stricter than comparable US standards. In 2014, China rolled out new air pollution emissions standards for new and existing coal-fired power plants that are stronger than comparable standards from the European Union and the US. China's new coal-fired power plants are cleaner than those in the US.

China's energy markets send mixed signals about the nation's policy intentions and emissions trajectory. Renewable energy analysts tend to view the nation as a global clean energy leader, while coal proponents and climate skeptics focus on the number of coal plants in China and claim its climate rhetoric is more flash than substance. China's emissions standards for new passenger cars and light-duty commercial vehicles up to China 6 are based on European regulations. Beijing has had a ban on the sale and registration of light-duty diesel vehicles since 2000. In 2023, China implemented a more rigorous set of emissions standards for motor vehicles nationwide, prohibiting the production, import, or sale of motor vehicles that do not meet the standards.

China's coal addiction will likely endure for years, even decades

China's coal addiction is a major concern for the world, as the country emits almost a third of all man-made greenhouse gases, more than the United States, Europe, and Japan combined. China's coal capacity has grown faster than coal generation, and the country has accelerated mining and the construction of coal-fired power plants, with a 10-year high in new constructions reached in 2024. This rapid expansion of coal-fired power poses a "challenge" to China's high-level climate commitments, and it is estimated that China's coal use will peak by 2025 and carbon emissions by 2030.

There are several reasons for China's continued reliance on coal. Firstly, the country has abundant coal reserves, which it views as a way to avoid becoming overly dependent on foreign energy suppliers and to ensure energy security. This is particularly important given the power shortages and electricity restrictions experienced in 2021 and 2022 due to droughts and heat waves. Secondly, the structure of China's medium-term climate targets gives provincial governments leeway to issue permits for coal plants, and many provinces cite the need for reliable sources of power. Additionally, the development of new coal-power plants is supported by long-term coal supply agreements and power purchase agreements, which obligate provinces to use coal even when other sources of electricity are more cost-effective.

While China has made efforts to transition to renewable energy sources, such as its Paris commitment to install 800 to 1,000 gigawatts of new renewable capacity by 2030, the scale of the country's energy needs means that coal will still be necessary in the near to medium term. China's new coal-fired power plants are also cleaner than those in other countries, with stricter emissions standards, and the country is developing new technologies to reduce local air pollution and climate emissions from coal plants.

However, the financial costs of China's commitment to coal could be significant, as coal plants have posted record losses in recent years, and the country's credit rating could be affected by continued investment in this uneconomical sector. Additionally, the human costs of coal pollution are already being felt, with indoor air pollution from solid fuel use in China responsible for approximately 420,000 premature deaths annually.

Overall, while there are some signs that China may be reducing its coal addiction, such as the recent decrease in new coal plant proposals, the country's coal use is likely to endure for years, if not decades, posing a significant challenge to global efforts to tackle climate change.

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