China’s coal consumption peaked in 2014, much earlier than expected, and has since then continued to drop. In a new paper, economists argue that this can be seen as a permanent trend, not a blip, due to major shifts in the Chinese economy and a crackdown on climate on pollution. China has its own interests in curbing climate change to reduce the smog that plagues its citizens and to protect China’s most precious water source, the snow-capped Himalayas, from melting. The Paris Climate Agreement requires ratification from the majority of large-emitting nations to go into effect, and with China on board, the world can take on the 2C target more seriously.
China’s hits coal peak and that’s a turning point in climate change battle
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