London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 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

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×