Coal production drops in China for 1st time in 14 years
Miners shovel coal at a mine in China’s Hebei province. Pic: AP.
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese state media report that the country has recorded its first drop in coal production since 2000, as it pulls back on its use of the fossil fuel and switches to cleaner energy sources.
According to the national coal association, China produced 3.5 billion tons of coal in the first 11 months of 2014, 2.1 percent less than the same period in 2013.
The report, quoted by the official Xinhua News Agency, said the profits of major Chinese coal companies dropped 44 percent in that same period to 110.5 billion yuan, or $18 billion, amid low global coal prices.
In November, China pledged to stop the growth in its carbon emissions by 2030. Chinese leaders are also under pressure to fight air pollution affecting much of the country.
