Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

China on track for 2020 emissions target

China on track for 2020 emissions target

China has slashed levels of pollution from its thermal power plants over the last five years and is on track to meet a key emissions goal for 2020, according to a new study.
Researchers from China and the United Kingdom have determined that between 2014 and 2017, China more than halved power plant emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter. The three pollutants all contribute to the formation of smog, which is linked to health problems.

The team of researchers analyzed emissions from thermal power plants, which burn coal, oil, natural gas or biomass to produce energy, with a particular focus on coal-fired power plants as these are the major contributors to ambient air pollution.

According to the study, which was published in the journal Nature, levels of sulphur dioxide emissions in China fell from 2.21 million metric tons in 2014 to 0.77 million tons in 2017, a reduction of 65 percent. Nitrogen oxide and particulate matter levels also fell, by 60 percent and 73 percent respectively.

The study suggests that China is on track to meet its target of 60 percent reduction of pollutants across all power plants by 2020. The researchers used data on emission concentrations collected by China's Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems network, which covers up to 98 percent of Chinese thermal power capacity.

"This is encouraging news for China, as well as other countries wishing to reduce their power emissions," said Mi Zhifu, a climate change economist from University College London, or UCL, who co-authored the study. "Thermal power plants combusting coal, oil, natural gas and biomass are one of the major contributors to global air pollution."

The study was carried out by researchers from UCL and Cambridge University in the UK, in collaboration with five universities in China, and was supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

Mi said the results demonstrated the technical and economic feasibility of controlling emissions from power plants, which he described as "an important step towards reducing the number of deaths attributable to air pollution".

China set its 2020 emissions target in 2014, when it introduced an ambitious "ultra-low emissions" policy and measures to renovate and upgrade existing coal-fired power stations. The following year, China also provided financial incentives to power plants that met new emissions standards.

"With coal being the most widely-used fuel in China, cutting the number of thermal power plants within a short timeframe would be challenging," said Mi. "The results of this research are encouraging in demonstrating that coal can be used in a much cleaner way to generate electricity."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Trump Backs Putin’s Land-for-Peace Proposal Amid Kyiv’s Rejection
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
United States Sells Luxury Yacht Amadea, Valued at Approximately $325 Million, in First Sale of a Seized Russian Yacht Since the Invasion of Ukraine
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×