Coal news and updates

China was pressed Tuesday by former U.S. and U.K. climate officials to make faster progress this decade on curbing greenhouse gases and accelerate its timeline for reaching peak carbon emissions, as the worsening crisis sparks a greater sense of urgency.

 

Xie Zhenhua, China's special envoy on climate change, heard the call while attending an online forum as the keynote speaker.

 

"China needs to do more in the current decade," said Todd Stern, Xie's former U.S. counterpart. Stern was referring to carbon emissions targets declared by President Xi Jinping last fall. Beijing committed to reach its peak carbon emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.

 

The forum was sponsored by Our Hong Kong Foundation, a pro-Beijing nonprofit chaired by former territory chief executive Tung Chee-hwa, along with Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

 

Stern, who was the U.S. envoy for climate change during Barack Obama's presidency, noted a "decisive shift in scientific opinion in the last few years as compared to the time of the Paris Agreement," as the world has encountered numerous natural disasters in recent years.

 

The legally binding Paris Agreement on climate change was signed by 196 parties in December 2015 and took effect the following November, setting the goal of limiting global warming to "well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels." Stern and Xie represented their respective governments to conclude the historic agreement.

 

Stern praised China's commitment and conceded that "I don't think it's easy" to meet those stated targets, especially understanding the significance of the coal industry in the country. But he also thinks that "peaking in 2030 cannot get the job done," as it means the largest carbon emitter globally will continue to increase global warming gases throughout this decade.

 

Adair Turner, chairman of the Energy Transitions Commission, a London-based global coalition for achieving the Paris target, echoed Stern's point on the need for Beijing to accelerate its emissions goals.

 

Turner recognized the responsibility of all developed nations to be carbon-free by 2050. He also views China's national strategy -- spelled out by Xi during the last Communist Party congress in 2017 -- to become a "great modern socialist country" by 2049 as equivalent to attaining the status of a "rich, developed country" on par with the West.

 

"If in 2049 China will be a rich, developed economy, it should be with the other rich, developed economies as a zero-carbon economy in 2050," he said. "I hope that China will at some stage commit to zero carbon by 2050, not 2060."

 

Turner, former chairman of the U.K.'s Climate Change Committee, also thinks that "what China does in the 2020s is even more important" given the magnitude of Chinese industry.

 

Both Western experts encouraged China that a faster timeline is feasible. The American sees "huge opportunities that have been created by the dramatic reduction in the cost in the clean energy path." This should make the transition much less burdensome than in the past, and China possesses many of those technologies necessary for making the economy less reliant on carbon emissions.

 

On top of enhancing renewable energy, Turner suggested a greener approach in construction materials.

 

"China absorbs over half of the world's cement and steel, and -- to be blunt -- quite a lot of that is wasted in real estate investment which may never be occupied," he said, alluding to constant warnings by Chinese financial regulators against overinvestment in fixed assets.

 

China recognizes the need for faster progress, with Xie saying that "accelerating the transitions and innovations during this decade is crucial."

 

He pointed to a 10-point policy for transforming China's economic model, including developing more renewable energy sources and cutting emissions in construction and infrastructure building as suggested by Turner. Xie signaled that detailed policies will be announced in due course.

 

However, Xie stressed that "conditions of countries vary," with differences in stages of development, distribution of natural resources, technological standards and historical responsibilities. "There are necessary steps, and we cannot achieve everything all at once," he said.

 

Kishore Mahbubani, a former veteran Singaporean diplomat, supported Xie's argument, as global warming is caused by "a stock of greenhouse gas emissions for 200 years" created mainly by Western industrialized countries. Though China is now the world's largest emitter, the U.S., Europe and Japan are primarily responsible for that accumulation.

 

Though his accusation against the West has legitimacy, urgent actions are needed now to combat the hard reality of climate disruptions, and China is the largest polluter -- one that could make or break the future of civilization.

 

"I would say the world is watching," Stern said. "If China is seen by the rest of the world as the main reason why the 1.5 [degrees Celsius] goal is not kept alive ... it will significantly damage China's global standing and reputation, not just in the world of climate change negotiators, but in a much bigger stage of the world of global citizens, civil societies and governments."

 

 

Source : https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Environment