Curbing carbon emissions
In just the past 20 years, the world has doubled its coal-fired power capacity. The heavy dependence on power generated through coal is evident through China’s colossal coal power plant infrastructure. The country is the world’s largest contributing country to CO2 emissions, producing over 10.06 billion metric tons of CO2. It has the largest coal fleet in the world with around 1,082 operational coal plants in the country — nearly four times as much as in India. Apart from that, there are about 20 China-funded coal power projects under construction in several countries including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan and South Africa.
It is because of this fanatic global addiction with a seemingly ‘abundant’ resource that carbon emissions levels have exponentially surged over the past decade, resulting in an increase in the global temperature by 1.5°C. The subsequent ecological crisis and the very real threat of extinction have urged world leaders, climate experts and activists to protest and take action. To play its part in the fight against climate change, China’s has recently pledged to stop building coal-fired power plants overseas, which according to analysts could cull over $50 billion worth of investment and help cut down on emissions. This is a bold and significant move to promote the shift from fossil fuel to more sustainable means of producing energy, especially considering that coal projects contribute enormously to the global economy. However, in order to keep the global temperature increase below 2°C, all coal projects would have to be completely shut down by 2040. According to the IPCC, coal use would have to be cut down by 80% this decade if we are to stay at the 1.5°C limit.
China must realise that it is not just about curbing future projects, we also need to reduce our current emission rate. For this, big oil and coal companies must be pressured, sanctioned if necessary; countries must be held responsible; and restrictions must be intensified. The shift to clean energy will entail enormous economic losses, but it is one that we have to make regardless.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2021.
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