The 21st Century Coal Question: China, India, Development, and Climate Change

China and India are not only the two most populous nations on Earth, they are also two of the most rapidly growing economies. Historically, economic and social development have been subsidized by cheap and abundant fossil-fuels. Climate change from fossil-fuel emissions has resulted in the need to r...

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Main Authors: Kevin J. Warner, Glenn A. Jones
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-08-01
Series:Atmosphere
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/8/476
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author Kevin J. Warner
Glenn A. Jones
author_facet Kevin J. Warner
Glenn A. Jones
author_sort Kevin J. Warner
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description China and India are not only the two most populous nations on Earth, they are also two of the most rapidly growing economies. Historically, economic and social development have been subsidized by cheap and abundant fossil-fuels. Climate change from fossil-fuel emissions has resulted in the need to reduce fossil-fuel emissions in order to avoid catastrophic warming. If climate goals are achieved, China and India will have been the first major economies to develop via renewable energy sources. In this article, we examine the factors of projected population growth, available fossil-fuel reserves, and renewable energy installations required to develop scenarios in which both China and India may increase per capita energy consumption while remaining on trach to meet ambitious climate goals. Here, we show that China and India will have to expand their renewable energy infrastructure at unprecedented rates in order to support both population growth and development goals. In the larger scope of the literature, we recommend community-based approaches to microgrid and cookstove development in both China and India.
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spelling doaj.art-22ae87d1904c454da2b0161a96ad1ecb2022-12-22T02:09:37ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332019-08-0110847610.3390/atmos10080476atmos10080476The 21st Century Coal Question: China, India, Development, and Climate ChangeKevin J. Warner0Glenn A. Jones1Department of Marine Sciences, Texas A&M University Galveston Campus, Galveston, TX 77554, USADepartment of Marine Sciences, Texas A&M University Galveston Campus, Galveston, TX 77554, USAChina and India are not only the two most populous nations on Earth, they are also two of the most rapidly growing economies. Historically, economic and social development have been subsidized by cheap and abundant fossil-fuels. Climate change from fossil-fuel emissions has resulted in the need to reduce fossil-fuel emissions in order to avoid catastrophic warming. If climate goals are achieved, China and India will have been the first major economies to develop via renewable energy sources. In this article, we examine the factors of projected population growth, available fossil-fuel reserves, and renewable energy installations required to develop scenarios in which both China and India may increase per capita energy consumption while remaining on trach to meet ambitious climate goals. Here, we show that China and India will have to expand their renewable energy infrastructure at unprecedented rates in order to support both population growth and development goals. In the larger scope of the literature, we recommend community-based approaches to microgrid and cookstove development in both China and India.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/8/476climate changeChinaIndiarenewable energymodelinginternational development
spellingShingle Kevin J. Warner
Glenn A. Jones
The 21st Century Coal Question: China, India, Development, and Climate Change
Atmosphere
climate change
China
India
renewable energy
modeling
international development
title The 21st Century Coal Question: China, India, Development, and Climate Change
title_full The 21st Century Coal Question: China, India, Development, and Climate Change
title_fullStr The 21st Century Coal Question: China, India, Development, and Climate Change
title_full_unstemmed The 21st Century Coal Question: China, India, Development, and Climate Change
title_short The 21st Century Coal Question: China, India, Development, and Climate Change
title_sort 21st century coal question china india development and climate change
topic climate change
China
India
renewable energy
modeling
international development
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/10/8/476
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