China is increasing coal production

Despite a global call to cut emissions, China is increasing its coal production. Although the share of coal in the country's total energy supply fell from 68% in 2012 to 59% last year, absolute fossil fuel consumption continued to rise.

Less than four years after China pledged to limit its use of coal and canceled more than 100 coal-fired power projects, a new study shows that the country - the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases - has fallen in love with fossil fuels again.

According to the latest report from the Global Energy Monitor, a non-profit group that monitors coal-fired plants, the Asian giant is set to launch enough coal-fired power plants to match the entire capacity of the European Union, which is currently 149 gigawatts. (GW).

The study shows that across the country, 148 GW of coal-fired power plants are either under construction or about to begin construction. That figure is also higher than the cumulative 105 gigawatts under construction in the rest of the world, the report said.

Although the share of coal in the country's total energy supply fell from 68% in 2012 to 59% last year, absolute fossil fuel consumption continued to increase in line with the growth in overall energy demand at the local level.

To meet domestic needs, the world's second largest economy approved 40 new coal mines in the first nine months of this year, while continuing to use green finance to support coal-related projects.

Last year, China's net receipts to its coal park were 25.5 GW, while the rest of the world had a net decline of 2.8 GW, as more stations were closed than were built.

“To meet the Paris climate goals, climate scientists say that global coal energy needs to be cut by 70% by 2030 and phased out by 2050,” said Christine Shearer, one of the authors of the report. "China's proposal to continue building new coal-fired power plants until 2035 directly contradicts the required emission reductions and threatens global climate targets."