China recorded its biggest increase in total energy consumption and coal use in a decade in 2021, as the economy recovered from the COVID-19 recession a year earlier, data from the central government showed. This country’s statistics show.
China, the world’s largest coal user and greenhouse gas emitter, used 5.24 billion tons of coal last year, up 5.2 percent from 2020, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said. , the biggest increase since 2011, as noted by Reuters based on official data.
The NBS also said coal consumption in China grew 4.6% in 2021, the strongest growth rate in a decade.
In the context that increased fossil fuel use is affecting the plan to cut carbon emissions, the Government has called on companies to save and improve energy efficiency, in order to fulfill their commitment to limit carbon emissions. capacity expansion in energy-intensive industries.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged that the country’s carbon emissions will peak by 2023 and be carbon neutral by 2060. However, he has set no limits on total energy use. or carbon emissions.
Despite stringent measures including restrictions on electricity use in some areas, China’s energy intensity – the ratio of the amount of energy used per unit of economic growth – fell by 2, 7% in 2021, compared with a target reduction of “about 3%” for the year.
Last year, China approved the expansion of hundreds of production plants, bringing the annual capacity to about 420 million tons. Output hit a record high as efforts to secure energy supply after nationwide power shortages.
The state planning agency has asked coal miners to maximize operations to ensure supply to the market, and said daily coal production rebounded to late 2021 levels last week.
Analysts fear China is loosening its environmental commitments to support an economy hit by supply chain disruptions and restrictions due to the “Zero COVID” policy.
“For China, energy security is taking precedence over decarbonisation, at least in the short to medium term,” said Rystad Energy analyst Justin Jose. We expect the country’s coal demand to continue to grow steadily.”
China is expected to reveal its energy intensity and carbon intensity targets – a measure of carbon emissions while growing the economy – on Saturday during the annual meeting of parliament.
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