China's coal production at record high in 2021, ambitions to combat climate crisis gone for a toss

Beijing [China], January 19 : Contrary to President Xi Jinping's declaration of making China carbon neutral by 2060 and his plans to curb carbon emissions, the country produced a record of 4.07 billion metric tons of coal last year, 4.7 per cent up from 2020, according to data released by China's National Bureau of Statistics earlier this week, reported CNN.
China is ramping up its coal production and imports of coal, which rose last year, to their highest level since 2013, as it struggles to meet the demand for electricity.
The power crisis may be solved however the coal prices are soaring and China's ambitions of taking drastic measures against carbon emissions have gone for a toss.
To address the power crisis, China ordered mines to boost coal production.
By December, production had jumped more than 7 per cent from a year earlier to an all-time monthly high of 385 million metric tons, recent statistics show. That was also the third straight month of increases.
Meanwhile, prices in China for thermal coal -- which is mainly used to generate electricity and provide heating -- have shot higher in recent days. Thermal coal futures surged nearly 7 per cent on Wednesday to about 775 yuan ($122) per metric ton, according to the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange. The contract has soared 13 per cent so far this year, reported the news channel.
According to the statistics by the Chinese government, Coal Consumption in 2021 strongly increased 10.3 per cent from 2020.
Furthermore, Li Yunqing, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, at a press conference on Tuesday in Beijing said that China expects its power consumption "to continue its rapid growth in 2022".
Even though China's ruling Communist Party last month said that they will prioritize infrastructure what is noteworthy is that the infrastructure is also majority dependant on fossil fuels which contributes to climate change.