AMN/ WEB DESK
The Chinese government has allowed China’s coal power plants to run at full capacity to meet energy demands even as the country has pledged to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and touted the ongoing Winter Olympics 2022 as more environmentally friendly. China’s state-run news agency reported that “Coal supply will be increased, and coal-fired power plants will be supported in running at full capacity and generating more electricity, so as to meet the electricity needs for production and residential consumption.” The decision was made at the State Council’s Executive Meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on Monday. Last week, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration asked coal producers to ensure a steady supply of coal and warned them of “further investigation and accountability measures.”
As the world’s second-largest economy and its largest climate polluter, China has been called for action to support the global fight against climate change. The country has pledged to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. President Xi Jinping has announced a plan to peak the country’s carbon emissions by 2030. But in the short term, China has increased its use of coal, hoping to thwart power shortages. Experts say, the adoption of cleaner fuel sources has been slow and complicated by the pandemic’s economic fallout. State media reported that last year, coal production in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region alone topped 1.06 billion tonnes when China faced historic power shortages amid a coal supply crunch and skyrocketing thermal coal prices.