Energy
Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 2:15 pm EDT
Key Points
- China and India have not reduced coal generation for electricity, making it difficult for them to achieve their climate targets, despite having ambitious plans to cut emissions.
- Coal remains the largest energy source for electricity generation globally, and both countries continue to rely heavily on it to meet rising electricity demand, contributing significantly to global coal-generated electricity increases.
- Despite progress in renewable energy, both countries still face significant challenges in transitioning away from coal, with China’s coal demand increasing fivefold and India’s power sector remaining 75% reliant on coal, highlighting the urgent need for a rapid coal phase-out to meet climate goals.
China and India have not reduced coal generation for electricity, which complicates their climate targets, according to a new study by energy think tank Ember. Despite ambitious emission reduction plans, both countries heavily rely on coal due to its affordability and reliability in meeting rising electricity demands. Global coal-generated electricity has almost doubled from 5,809 terawatt-hours in 2000 to 10,434 TWh in 2023, with China and India contributing significantly to this increase. Coal remains the largest energy source for electricity generation, supplying over one-third of global electricity and playing a crucial role in industries such as iron and steel.
China, the world’s largest coal producer, aims to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060. However, its reliance on coal continues to grow, driven by a sevenfold increase in electricity demand since the beginning of the decade. In 2023, China emitted 5,491 million tonnes of CO2 from electricity generation, far surpassing the emissions of the U.S. and India. Despite significant progress in renewable energy, with clean electricity making up 35% of China’s total generation in 2023, the country needs to reduce its dependence on other fossil fuels. Renewable sources like wind and solar have grown, yet coal remains dominant.
India, now the world’s most populous country, saw a 5.4% increase in power demand in 2023, more than double the global average. India’s leaders have pledged that 50% of its power will come from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030. Nevertheless, coal remains a major energy source, accounting for 75% of its electricity generation. India’s emissions from the power sector are expected to peak around 2030. Although India has made significant strides in renewable energy, becoming the world’s third-largest solar power generator in 2023, it still faces challenges in decoupling economic growth from emissions.
Both China and India must accelerate their transition from coal to meet their climate goals. The continued reliance on coal not only hampers their emission reduction targets but also underscores the urgent need for a rapid phase-out of coal to achieve global climate objectives.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/14/china-india-still-rely-heavily-on-coal-climate-targets-remain-difficult.html
