Continuing the China watch, Sami Grover on Treehugger waxes cautiously ecstatic over the latest analysis of data from China on fossil fuel usage:
Earlier this year, many of us who follow such things were astounded by news that global CO2 emissions might have actually stalled last year.
Now comes news via the Greenpeace Energy Desk that Chinese carbon emissions may have fallen 5% in the first four months of this year.
If true, this is very big news indeed. In fact, a drop of that magnitude would—according to Greenpeace—be the equivalent of the UK’s entire emissions output.
Greenpeace notes:
If the reduction continues until the end of the year, it will be the largest recorded year-on-year reduction in coal use and CO2 in any country.
Falling coal output in China has already had a big impact on global emissions with early data from the IEA suggesting that global emissions of carbon dioxide from the energy sector stalled in 2014, marking the first time in 40 years in which there was a halt or reduction in emissions of the greenhouse gas that was not tied to an economic downturn.
ChinaTopix observes:
China is indeed pursuing clean energy technology at a quick pace. The country has closed hundreds of coal plants as a response to their domestic air pollution problems and the growth in their use of solar energy can already compete with any other country. However, Think Progress says that the dramatic fall in emissions is likely due to the country’s current slow economy.
Though the decline in carbon gas emissions mean CO2 build up is also slower, it remains that there is a dire need for both rapid decline in emissions and restoring the Earth’s ecosystems in order to absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere, according to Treehugger.com.
Carbon Pulse has dug up only one expert to react to the data analysis, one Tim Buckley:
I think this is a permanent, long-term structural change in the Chinese electricity system, and current trends show that China is running well ahead of its commitments made in conjunction with President Obama in 2014.
Will Washington continue to be a comedic sideshow when it comes to important matters like this, more interested in futile symbolic gestures unconnected to existential threats, or will it finally grow up and apply itself to its duties?
