While some of today’s China-bashing might be unfair, other instances appear justified — as, for example, when a new report shows that the top three Chinese power companies last year emitted more greenhouse gases than the entire UK (PDF).

The report from Greenpeace — “Polluting power: Ranking China’s power companies” — finds that, by the end of 2008, China’s total installed electricity-generating capacity stood at 792 gigawatts, with coal-fired power plants accounting for 75 per cent of that capacity. While that energy has helped drive China’s fast-expanding economic engine, Greenpeace says the country’s reliance on coal comes at “enormous economic, social and environmental losses.”

“(T)he Chinese electricity sector has to grasp this historical opportunity and add to China’s efforts to be part of an ambitious climate deal in Copenhagen in December,” the report states. “In an increasingly carbon constrained world, countries that are heavily dependent on coal leave themselves exposed to great risks.”

The report concludes with several recommendations:

1. The Chinese Government should create a “price signal” for coal — a tax of some kind — to encourage power companies to use coal as efficiently as possible and rapidly transition to renewable energy;
2. China should set a target of 30 per cent renewable energy by 2020 and enact policies to encourage such a transition;
3. Stricter energy efficiency standards should be set for coal-fired plants, with a coal consumption goal of less than 335 grams per kilowatt-hour;
4. Power companies need to meet their obligation of 3 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2010;
5. Inefficient power plants should be closed or converted for improved efficiency, with a target of 2012 for all facilities generating less than 100 megawatts, and a deadline of 2015 for plants with capacities of less than 200 megawatts;
6. China’s power companies should prepare detailed strategies for combating climate change and reduce carbon emissions to achieve the goals set by the Government.

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