China is both the world's biggest polluter and the biggest investor in renewables, but a new host of coal-fired power plants is worrying climate experts | ErykBagshaw
A massive expansion of coal-fired power in China is pushing the world's climate change targets out of reach, as former prime minister Kevin Rudd said heightened environmental concerns in China were still secondary to economic expansion.
Wood Mackenzie senior consultant Yu Zhai said increased production and profitability pressures could lead generators to petition the government to allow larger quotas of coal imports.Mr Rudd said on Wednesday that amid the need to maintain its economic footprint, concerns about the environment in China had "moved from the margins to the mainstream".
But Beijing's support for coal was criticised during the Madrid climate talks last week and amid growing concerns the 2015 Paris agreement seeking to limit future warming to no more than 2 degrees will not succeed.
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