China's Population Control Policies And Coal

#375: The Raw Numbers

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According to the Washington Post's Lily Kuo: 

"In response to an energy crunch, China has increased coal imports, expanded coal production and approved new coal mines. In October, the country produced 357 million tons of coal, a level not seen in six years..."

Meanwhile, China's population control measures, beginning in the 1970s, and including 1980's one-child policy, have reduced births in the country by as many as 500 million (current population 1.45 billion), or roughly a third of its current total.

While the 500 million reduction may be an over-statement (an urbanizing workforce and rising standard of living no doubt contributed), and heavy-handed enforcement undoubtedly caused untold suffering, it should be noted, the result means that China only burns 56% of the world's coal.  

Like it or not, that reduction in coal burning--perhaps 100 million tons a month--makes the challenge of Climate Change a lot less difficult.