In this Sunday Review editorial, The New York Times applauds China's announcement that it will ban coal burning in the Beijing region by 2020, but warns that some solutions to air pollution will exacerbate climate change.
China is by far the world's largest coal consumer. Last year it "consume(d) nearly as much coal as the rest of the world combined," reported NRDC's Alvin Lin in May, 2013. Thus, The New York Times editors were heartened to learn "that the government would ban the use of coal in Beijing and other urban areas by 2020 in an effort to reduce the noxious air pollution that chokes many cities." Not only will the prohibition be good for Beijing air breathers but for the warming planet as well.
"Motor vehicles, coal burning, industrial production and dust account for 31.1 percent, 22.4 percent, 18.1 percent and 14.3 percent of Beijing's PM 2.5 respectively. These airborne particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter are blamed for Beijing's smog," according to Xinhua.
However, the solution—burning more natural gas, has its own perils, warns The Times, because of a "particularly misguided plan (that) would involve building 50 large industrial facilities in western China to convert coal into synthetic natural gas." [Also see a description of the plan in a Quartz post here].
"It’s thus welcome news when President Xi Jinping says that reducing pollution will be a priority for his administration," they write. "But the process of converting coal to gas would increase the country’s total carbon emissions and consume huge amounts of water in what are already arid regions."
An alternative to synthetic natural gas should be shale gas, suggest the editors, as well renewable and nuclear power.
The country can also do more to tap into shale gas in a prudent way. By some estimates, China’s shale reserves could be nearly twice as big as American reserves. China will also need to invest more in renewable energy sources and nuclear power to meet the needs of its large and increasingly urban population.
FULL STORY: China Confronts Its Coal Problem
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.