“It is not about whether China can be less reliant on coal eventually, it is rather about what will happen to a province like ours afterwards. As an activist, of course I'd like to see my home town move away from coal. After all, I grew up only knowing the sky is grey and coal is the only source of energy. But I also worry what will happen to a province whose economy overwhelmingly depends on coal and heavy industries, and the millions of people whose livelihoods are reliant on them. You see, the addiction to coal is not just on a national level, but also on a personal level. It's not easy to move away from. A lot of people here, including another relative of mine, are unhappy with [media] talk of climate change and the [the government's] effort to reduce coal consumption. To us, this is bread and butter. Without it, what would Lüliang look like? They need to start to prepare for a coal-free future right now before it's too late.”
16 Oct 2021
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