Despite Renewable Energy Push, China Still Runs on Coal

November 22, 2011

Fishermen sit beside a lake in front of the chimneys of a coal-burning power station located on the outskirts of Beijing, November 22, 2011.

China is an environmental contradiction. The rapidly developing Asian giant is the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases and still relies mostly on heavily polluting coal for its energy

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But the country is also trying to counter the environmental damage by aggressively investing in non-polluting sources of energy

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The planet is getting warmer. Photos from 100 years ago show Himalayan glaciers - which supply water for many of Asia's major rivers - are shrinking.

Many scientists say burning coal is part of the reason. The cheap fuel is China’s and the world’s main energy source, but its carbon emissions also warm the planet. In Beijing, an art exhibit uses images to illustrate the linkage between coal and ice.

This 30-year-old visitor, who refused to give his name, says the exhibit raises very relevant issues.

“This is especially the case in China, the environment has been ruined in a dramatic way. Maybe it’s economic development that brings in such negative effects.”

Twenty year old college student Zhou Mengyue calls the exhibit inspiring, but she says China must raise basic living standards before it can fully address environmental problems.