Energy production and CO2 emissions: The case of coal fired power plants under China Pakistan economic corridor

Abstract

Pakistan stands as the seventh most vulnerable country in the debate of climate change. The trail of changes occurring in the natural climate in the country is mainly linked to an increased level of CO2 emissions. These emissions come from massive coal combustion in the newly developed coal fired power plants in the country. In the absence of emission inventory after 2015, this study has deployed direct observation technique to measure CO2 emissions from all the seven coal fired power plants executed under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. It has been found that the attempt to meet the energy needs of the country’s growing population has been resulting in 14,500 Mt CO2 emissions per annum. The energy production from impure energy sources is ending-up in 65% higher CO2 emissions than the normal trend. These massive emission scenario projects rose the global mean temperature up to 2.23° by 2020. The consistent rise in emission up to 226, 562, 500 Metric tons further corresponds to 7.6 °C rise in GMT in 2050. The study calls for the immediate use of pledged, but not applied, critical technology to halt CO2 discharge. Also, the country requires a shift to clean, green and renewable energy sources to ratify the Paris agreement.