"China Underreporting Coal Consumption By Up To 17%, Data Suggests"

"Revelation may mean China has emitted close to a billion additional tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year"

"BEIJING -- China, the world’s largest carbon emitter, has been dramatically underreporting the amount of coal it consumes each year, it has been claimed ahead of key climate talks in Paris.

Official Chinese data, reported by the New York Times on Wednesday after being quietly released earlier this year, suggests China has been burning up to 17% more coal each year than previously disclosed by the government.

The revelation – which may mean China has emitted close to a billion additional tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year – could complicate the fight against global warming ahead of the United Nations climate change conference in Paris, which begins on 30 November."

Tom Phillips reports for the Guardian November 4, 2015.

SEE ALSO:

"US 'Playing Catch-Up To China' in Clean Energy Efforts, UN Climate Chief Says" (Guardian)

Source: Guardian, 11/04/2015