Analysis of China Policy On Coal Energy
Coal is a form of fossil fuel energy widely used in industrial applications, electricity generation, heating, and running machines. However, its use has been criticized for adding the green house burden (Lin & Jia, 2020). Coal is a non-renewable form of energy-containing organic and inorganic elements. Coal is formed through carbonization, where dead vegetation combines with carbon molecules under maximum pressure. China accounts for 49 percent of the overall production of coal globally (Hove,2020). China has been the top coal producer since 1983. The high demand for fuel in china due to numerous industries, electricity generation, and dense population has led to overproduction and use of coal to meet the industrial demand and home consumption. The essay analyzes society’s policies, economy, and environmental utilization of coal as the primary energy in China.
Chinese society is torn between the economic benefits of coal and the health risks, air and environmental pollution due to reliance on coal energy. The Chinese society appreciates the employment opportunities, rural welfare, and incomes generated by the rural coal plants that have enabled them to earn their livelihoods. However, the coal industry has instigated numerous social problems that even the government has failed to address (Hove, 2020). For instance, society has to deal with corruption, work safety, and environmental degradation.
Furthermore, carbon emissions can lead to increased breathing problems and chest complications for numerous Chinese communities creating a moral question on reliance on coal energy. The China social policy balance the economic gains and the social problems with the rural dwellers advancing for coal use while the urban majority is advocating for the adoption of renewable energies such as solar energy that are safer.
Effects of Coal Energy Policy on the Society
Coal mining and exportation provide employment benefits, rural growth and enable rural dwellers to earn livelihoods. In addition, coal energy is essential in running the agriculture sector, and electricity generation is increasing the connectivity grid.
Pros and Cons of Coal Energy on Societal
The coal industry has increased corruption by government officials and unscrupulous traders, affecting the safety of coal miners and increased health complications for many Chinese.
China’s economic policy is driven by the benefits of coal energy as the global factory and industrialization. Coal energy is the primary source of economic growth through generating electricity and utilization in the running of the industry as fuels (Zhang et al, 2009). Further, China is a significant exporter of coal globally, earning foreign exchange and boosting trade. Currently, China is among the fastest-growing economies in the world. The economic growth has been enabled by the abundance of coal deposits that have been adopted to run machines and manufacturing industries.
Additionally, coal is cheap to extract and maintain. Therefore coal energy avails a cheaper means to run industries economically compared to other fuels like oil. Furthermore, the rural dwellers depend on coal energy to conduct agricultural activities that earn income. Experts allude that China is the largest consumer of energy due to the dense population. The commercialization of coal energy that generates 79 percent of overall electricity generates revenue from domestic consumption, industrial use, and exports (Hove, 2020). Therefore, the availability of energy portrays a relationship with positive economic growth.
Effects of Coal Energy Policy on the Economy
Coal reserves are abundant in China. The excess supply makes easy access to energy sources leading authorities to rely on coal for electricity production in China (Lin & Jia, 2020). Further, coal is cheap to mine and extract compared to other forms of renewable energy like solar that is unreliable due to dependency on sunny weather. Coal energy is reliable and capable of generating enormous amounts of power creating economic benefits through commercialization.
Cons of Coal Energy Policy On The Economy
Despite the economic gains, air and environmental pollutions portray that China has to extensively fund the health sectors and technologies for environmental conservation diversifying money that could have been utilized in economic growth. Control of coal impacts can impact positively on the society.
In environmental policy, coal energy utilization has created a lot of debate due to environmental pollution and global warming. Its use has been cited as a global threat due to its non-renewable nature (Lin & Jia, 2020). As a significant producer and exporter of coal, China has been adversely affected by environmental pollution contributing to global warming. Due to the negative environmental impacts of coal, China has adopted an energy policy to shift from fossil fuel to more efficient renewable energy to drive the enormous economic industry and keep the environment safe.
Currently, China is leading in the wind and solar energy installation worldwide. China targets to create one percent of renewable energy each year. China has initiated several strategies and agencies to attain the development of renewable energy. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) have been tasked with reduction of reliance on coal energy and fossil fuels (Hove, 2020). NEA is China’s primary agency for developing wind and solar energy that are friendlier to the environment.
Pros Coal Energy Policy Environment
NEA has developed a new draft energy law that prioritizes renewable energy. The energy law calls for low carbon energy systems and non-fossils to replace reliance on coal energy. China does not aim at completely shutting coal energy use but calls for promoting clean coal plants with low carbon emissions. The NEA objective is to emphasize efficient coal energy use, environmental conservation, and environmental taxes. Coal contributes the highest emissions for greenhouse gasses, and China is determined to shift from over-reliance on coal energy.
Cons of Coal Energy Policy On The Environment
Lack of strict rules to enforce environmental pollution leading to the continued establishment of new coal plants that increase air pollution and environmental degradation due to mining.
China’s regulations in coal energy as a fossil fuel has failed in meeting the objectives and negatively impacting the gains made in renewable energy. However, the efforts to increase renewable energy need to be boosted to increase the grid of wind and solar energy for primary energy consumption. Furthermore, other authorities need to initiate restrictive rules to limit the establishment of new coal plants and utilize the capacity of the already existing ones. China has to create a safe environment for future generations by shifting from the reliance on coal energy.
References
Hove.A. (2020, August 28). Trends and Contradictions in China’s Renewable Energy Policy. Center on global energy policy.
Lin, B., & Jia, Z. (2020). Economic, energy and environmental impact of coal-to-electricity policy in China: A dynamic recursive CGE study. Science of The Total Environment, 698, 134241.
Zhang, L., Yang, Z., Chen, B., & Chen, G. (2009). Rural energy in China: pattern and policy. Renewable energy, 34(12), 2813-2823.
