User:HHR 99/Environmental policy in China

Coal Mining In China
Currently, China is the largest consumer and producer of al coal worldwide. The energy endowment in China has long been characterized as coal-rich and gas-poor. This dependence on coal is caused by the extensive coal resources but limited resources in natural gas and petroleum. Since the Chinese economic reform in 1978, the proportion of coal in primary energy production and consumption has been as high as 72%. In 2006, 5.85% of China’s GDP was directly attributed to coal.

The heavy demand for coal leads to over-mining of coal. Ecological degradation is one of the greatest damage caused by coal mining in China. Over-mining causes land subsidence and land sliding. In areas with abundant coal resources such as Huainan city in Anhui Province, land subsidence persistently happens because of over-mining. By December 3, 2006, the coral mine created 700,000 hectares of land subsidence nationwide and total damage worth 50 billion yuan. Land subsidence destroys houses, roads, bridges, and electricity facilities in the coal mining areas. Theoretically, in order to mine 10 million tons of coal, 2,000 people need to be relocated from the coal mining area.

To change the structure of energy consumption and alleviate the damage from coal burning, the Chinese government came up with 2 policies: the Coal Law of the People’s Republic of China and the West-East Gas Pipeline Project. The Coal Law of the People’s Republic of China was formulated for the purpose of standardizing and legalizing China’s coal industry. It helps to protect coal resources, regulate coal production and business activities, and promote and ensure the development of the coal industry. The Coal Law of the People's Republic of China was executed since December 1, 1996.

The West-East Gas Pipeline Project focuses on transporting natural gas from the western to the eastern part of China through pipelines. Since the 1990s, oil prospectors have successively discovered petroleum reservoirs of different sizes such as Kela 2, Hotanhe, Yaha, Yangtuke, Yingmai 7, Yudong 2, in the western part of the Tarim basin. When the project was established in 2000, the reservoir of Kuqa–Tabei region of the Tarim Basin has total natural gas of 393.522 billion cubic meters, in which 285.471 billion cubic meters could be exploited. Specifically, Kela 2, Yangtake, Yingmai 7, Yudong, Yaha, Jilac, Yakela are the main supply reservoir. The above seven gas fields have a total natural gas volume of 380.534 billion cubic meters in which 2704.02 100 million cubic meters can be exploited. This nationwide network provides a solution to the imbalance between China’s natural gas resources and helped China to maintain the energy demand and supply for economic growth. Since the implementation of this pipeline in February, 2000, this project efficiently reduced China’s reliance on coal. By 2021, the West-East Gas Pipeline helped to reduce he use of standard coal by 932 million metric tons, lessened carbon dioxide emission by 1.02 billion tons, and lowered carbon dioxide dust by 508 million tons.