India, China emissions mocking Western policies – Frustrated by that?

via Vijay Jayaraj

In the midst of Europe’s energy crisis, it’s easy to miss other events that matter to the discussion of the climate change movement.

Among them are a series of obstacles to green policies in China and India.

These countries – representing 3 billion people – have delayed making commitments to renewable energy and increasing fossil fuel production and consumption.

At the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, the leaders of China and India – along with their counterparts from Russia and Turkey – made it clear that they could not be coerced. must reduce fossil fuel consumption, calling for “increased investment in oil and gas exploration and production”.

As usual, the mainstream media did not cover the headlines nor discuss the rise of fossil fuels in these countries causing the so-called net zero measures in the West. unrelated to the goals of climate alerters.

As the world’s second-largest coal user and home to 1.3 billion people, India has underscored its commitment to transitioning to renewable energy.

According to reports, the country has fallen significantly short of its solar installation targets, jeopardizing overall conversion goals.

The Economic Times of India reports that at least 25 gigawatts (GW) of solar power projects scheduled to come online or near completion face delays or uncertainty.

Deferring solar installations currently cannot achieve the plan to add 450 GW to renewable capacity by 2030.

The Times reports that India “has added 10 GW of solar capacity by 2021, while it needs almost 30 GW more per year to be able to hit the target”.

The National Solar Mission – India’s internationally renowned solar strategy – is in disarray, with only half of its promised capacity left.

India considers coal plants an integral part of its energy sector.

So much so that the government has even extended the deadline for coal plants to install pollution control filters.

Experts say the benefits of these plants running without filters far outweigh the inconveniences of pollutants.

In China, Premier Li Keqiang has called for “liberating advanced coal capacity, as much as possible, and realizing long-term coal supply”.

In stark contrast to the country’s commitment to a net zero economy, leaders have doubled spending on coal, a move difficult for the climate-industry complex to predict. China has ordered an increase of 300 million tons of coal production this year.

In August, China’s coal-fired power output hit an all-time high in January 2021 as provinces sought to offset drought damage caused by power generation at hydroelectric plants.

In 2022, both Sichuan province and the capital Chengdu experienced an energy shortage that forced businesses and factories to close.

Chengdu even turns off the lights in the underground railway network.

Analysts say coal is indispensable to China’s energy future, and shortages like this only reaffirm the claim. In fact, it is believed that President Xi himself contributed to the country’s five-year development plan, reversing the move away from coal.

Contrary to the predictions of thousands of articles and analysis, China is at the highest level of coal consumption.

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions from India and China make Western emission reduction strategies meaningless. China’s annual CO2 emissions from coal use are many times higher than similar emissions from other developed economies.

In 2021, China’s coal-related CO2 emissions of 7421 million tonnes (MMT) are nearly 10 times higher than the US’s 889 MMT. China’s expected coal capacity addition will further offset US efforts to cut emissions.

It makes no sense for politicians in Western nations to punish citizens with higher energy bills and electricity shortages in the name of a fake climate emergency.

Even in the event of a crisis, increasing emissions from developing regions of the world making Western climate policies so historically and scientifically irrational would be ridiculous. laugh if they don’t destroy the economy and life.

This comment is the first published at NewsmaxSeptember 22, 2022, and can be accessed here.

Vijay Jayaraj is a Research Associate at CO2 Alliance, Arlington, VA. He holds a master‘holds a degree in environmental science from the University of East Anglia, UK and resides in India.