Although we may feel that we are too reliant on coal here in the US, China is even more dependent, deriving approximately 70% of its electricity from coal. (2 trillion kilowatt-hours per year). A total of 2,657,230 people worked in state owned coal mines at the end of 2006 - a shocking figure.
China's coal mining industry is the largest and also deadliest in the world in terms of human safety where thousands of people die every year in the coal pits, compared to 30 per year for coal power in the United States. Coal production rose 8.1% in 2006 over the previous year, reaching 2.38 billion tons, and the nation's largest coal enterprises saw their profits exceed 67 billion yuan, or $8.75 billion.
In 2001 the carbon emissions from coal use in China made up about 10% of the world total CO2 emissions at the time. By 2004 this fraction rose to 14%. It is believed that a continued increase in coal power in China may undermine international initiatives to decrease carbon emissions such as the Kyoto Protocol, which called for a decrease of 483 million tons by 2012. In the same time frame, it is expected that coal plants in China will have increased CO2 emissions by 1,926 million tons — over 4 times the proposed reduction.
China's coal mining industry is the largest and also deadliest in the world in terms of human safety where thousands of people die every year in the coal pits, compared to 30 per year for coal power in the United States. Coal production rose 8.1% in 2006 over the previous year, reaching 2.38 billion tons, and the nation's largest coal enterprises saw their profits exceed 67 billion yuan, or $8.75 billion.
These extreme profits and the current abundance of coal available for mining makes it an extremely attractive industry to be in, leaving China few incentives to get out of this industry.
In 2001 the carbon emissions from coal use in China made up about 10% of the world total CO2 emissions at the time. By 2004 this fraction rose to 14%. It is believed that a continued increase in coal power in China may undermine international initiatives to decrease carbon emissions such as the Kyoto Protocol, which called for a decrease of 483 million tons by 2012. In the same time frame, it is expected that coal plants in China will have increased CO2 emissions by 1,926 million tons — over 4 times the proposed reduction.
So, clearly, education and international regulations are needed in order to stop this out of control coal production and the rampant pollution and environmental damage. Get involved. Learn. Change your behavior. Simply learning about and being cognizant of your actions and your carbon footprint can help you make small but meaningful changes - it's in your hands.
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