Russian gas will not stop China’s air pollution
Don’t hold your breath for any change any time soon in China. Coal is still cheap as dirt and most of China’s economic players have cooked their books so long and thorough, they must use anything that gives them even an imagined edge. They must use the cheapest fuel. China’s economy is in the ropes – nobody in that state is susceptible to environmental pressures. What you think is going to happen if the people have to decide “its clean air or better job prospects”?
As Beijing clamps down on air pollution, it is seeking to replace coal power plants with cleaner natural gas, especially for heating during winter. Consequently, China has intensified relations with Russia, one of the world’s leading gas exporters, to expand energy ties.
