climate
Environmental organization warns about China’s coal chemical projects
China doesn’t just use coal to generate electricity: chemicals can also be produced from the raw material. But environmentalists see this as a danger.
The environmental organization Urgewald is concerned about growing expansion in the particularly climate-damaging coal chemical sector in China and other countries. A public database on the coal industry, the Global Coal Exit List, maintained jointly with other organizations, shows 47 new coal chemical projects worldwide, the organization announced in Berlin. China therefore has the most coal chemistry projects with 21 projects announced or in development.
For example, in the coal chemical industry, coal is converted into chemicals or gas. In further processing steps, this can result in plastic, for example, which is contained in many everyday objects. This is the dirtiest possible way to use coal, said Urgewald managing director Heffa Schücking. “This releases significantly more greenhouse gases than burning coal in a power plant,” she explained. The processes are also considered harmful to the environment because they use a lot of water and harm air quality.
Why the plants are important for China
In addition to China, according to Urgewald, India (14), Indonesia (6), Kazakhstan (3), Botswana (2) and Pakistan (1) are also planning projects in the field of coal chemistry. Coal chemical plants are interesting for China because they allow the world’s second-largest economy to extract materials from its enormous coal reserves that would otherwise require fossil oil or gas – i.e. raw materials for which China is dependent on imports. Beijing can thus improve its energy security in times of global conflict and uncertainty caused by trade disputes.
Organization sees China’s climate plans in danger
With a view to the fight against climate change, for which China is important as the largest greenhouse gas emitter, the coal chemical industry could become a problem. According to Urgewald, the expansion of such projects jeopardizes the government’s recently announced climate plans. State and party leader Xi Jinping declared during a United Nations climate summit in New York that his country would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by seven to ten percent compared to maximum levels by 2035.
The global community had already agreed a few years ago at the climate conference in Glasgow to phase out coal in favor of the climate – and has reiterated it several times since then. China is also at the table.
dpa
Source: Stern
