Target coal or carbon? Researchers are analyzing coal and energy caps as carbon policy instruments for China
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 - 05:51
in Earth & Climate
In China, coal is king. The source of about 70 percent of the nation's energy supply, it has long been the engine of the Chinese economy. But the reign of coal, which has the highest carbon content of all fossil fuels, has resulted in unintended consequences, from local air pollution to global climate change. While China is currently moving ahead with a national carbon market covering large emitters, an ongoing question remains whether and how the country might also directly restrict the use of coal to tackle the triple threat of air pollution, climate change, and energy insecurity. One option under discussion involves imposing limits on the use of coal or on all fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) at the national or regional levels.