There are signs that China is trying to rein in its smog problem by reducing its coal dependence. That's a win for the planet, right? Not exactly, as Christina Larsen reported several months ago in this Bloomberg story:
Tiananmen tower enveloped by the heavy fog and haze in Jan 29, 2013.Image by axz700 / Shutterstock
When China makes international news these days, it's often because of its densely polluted air. The public health aspect of this story is usually front and center, while the global warming angle is somewhat muted. Still, there's no getting around the climate implications of China's reliance on coal.
Unfortunately, one scheme to limit coal burning by converting China’s plentiful coal supplies into synthetic natural gas (SNG) presents a host of other ecological worries. To date, China’s government has approved construction of nine large SNG plants in northern and western China, which are projected to generate ...
