Clean coal? There is no such thing

Air pollution levels in Beijing and other major Chinese cities have been making headlines, when millions of people were confined to their homes for several days to avoid the most drastic impacts on their health. For the longest time now the world believed that China would forever continue to build its infamous ’one new coal-fired power station per week’. China, however, is starting to rethink its course on coal: In September 2013 the Chinese government announced a cap on coal consumption in three economically important provinces. Cities like Beijing or Shanghai are introducing coal phase-out plans to protect their citizens’ health. That is what is needed: Only by limiting its use and quickly phasing-out coal will we avoid the impacts on our health, on local environments and the planet’s climate. Clean coal is a myth.