BEIJING, Sept 18 — China has stepped up spending on coal in the face of extreme weather, a domestic energy crunch and rising global fuel prices — raising concerns Beijing's policies may hinder the fight against climate change.
But at the same time, slowing growth has led authorities to rely on smokestack industries in an effort to boost the economy. Premier Li Keqiang in June called for"releasing advanced coal capacity, as much as possible, and implementing long-term coal supply". Coal and gas give local officials a ready source of energy and are, in practice,"the only way for local officials to avoid power shortages", energy researcher Lauri Myllyvirta wrote in a Carbon Brief report.The current operating solar capacity in the country accounts for nearly half the global total, according to San Francisco-based non-governmental organisation Global Energy Monitor .