Fate of coal demand lies in Beijing's hands

Abstract

Significance The unexpected decline in China's coal consumption is a direct consequence of the government's economic and energy policies. Impacts Sustained decline in coal use will have an economic and political pay-off in reducing air pollution. Declining coal use in China's energy sector will reduce carbon dioxide emissions at a globally significant rate and scale. The fall in demand for imported coal will have a dramatic and prolonged downward impact on international coal prices. Domestic coal production will become concentrated in a few large state-owned mining companies.