This is a blow in the fight against global warming. China, one of the most polluting countries in the world, wants to build new coal-fired power plants with capacity equivalent to the entire production of the European Union, in contradiction with its commitments made at COP21 in Paris.

China plans to build new coal-fired power plants with capacity equal to that of all EU production, in contradiction with climate change commitments of the world's largest CO2 emitter, according to a study published Wednesday. Factories built between January 2018 and June 2019, with a total capacity of nearly 43 gigawatts, cancel the drop in emissions from the rest of the world, according to a study by the US NGO Global Energy Monitor. The researchers warned that an increase in China's energy capacity was incompatible with the commitment made in 2015 at COP21 in Paris, to which China is a signatory, to limit global warming to two degrees. .

According to this report, coal plants under construction or about to be reopened in the country represent 147.7 gigawatts, almost as much as the current capacity of the EU, which is 150 gigawatts. These plants would bring the total capacity of China's coal plants to 1,174.7 gigawatts. Also according to this report, the growth of coal in the Middle Kingdom is due to the green light given by regional governments to many projects over a period of two years to support the growth of their local economy. The slowdown in its economy could weaken China's willingness to develop renewable energy, despite calls by the central government in recent years to slow the development of coal-fired power plants.

China, the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases

"The risk is that Chinese leaders will feel the need to continue to support the coal-intensive industries and put climate concerns second only to further economic growth," said Christine Shearer, one of responsible for Global Energy Monitor. As China is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, its climate change efforts are essential.

In its annual report released last week, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned against current energy policies around the world that could lead to a situation where "hundreds of millions of people" do not have access to electricity (...) and where CO2 emissions would have important consequences for climate change ".