Despite its pledge to reduce emissions from fossil fuels, China as per Greenland has this year approved a major surge in coal power. The jump in approval of coal-powered power plants has sparked concerns that China, which happens to be the world's second-largest economy and also globally the biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases driving climate change, will backtrack on its climate goals.

China has pledged that it will reach peak emissions between 2026 and 2030 and that by 2060 it will become carbon-neutral.

However, as per Greenpeace, in the first three months of 2023, local governments in&nbsp;"energy-hungry" Chinese provinces have approved at least 20.45 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired power.

This, according to AFP, is more than double the 8.63 GW which Greenpeace reported for the same time period last year&nbsp;and surpasses the 18.55 GW approved for the entirety of 2021.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-worlds-largest-polluter-approved-record-coal-power-plants-in-2022-report-566321">China, world's largest polluter, approved record coal power plants in 2022: Report</a>

Most of the newly approved coal projects, as per AFP, are in provinces that, during the last two years, have suffered "punishing power shortages" due to record heatwaves. Others are in the southwest part of the country where last year, a record drought significantly cut down the hydropower output.

In February, the Global Energy Monitor (GEM) released a study according to&nbsp;which last year China approved the largest expansion of coal-fired power plants since 2015.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/world-burnt-more-coal-when-it-needed-to-cut-emissions-report-579855">World burnt more coal when it needed to cut emissions: Report</a>

As per Greenpeace campaigner Xie Wenwen, China's push for more coal plants "risks climate disasters... and locking us into a high-carbon pathway."

"The 2022 coal boom has clearly continued into this year."

Last year, China reportedly relied on coal for nearly 60 per cent of its electricity needs.

Watch |&nbsp;China approves biggest expansion in new coal power plants

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Greenpeace experts cautioned that investing in additional fossil-fuel plants to cope with the surge in air conditioning would generate a vicious cycle: higher greenhouse gas emissions from the coal plants would accelerate global warming, leading to more frequent extreme weather events like the heat waves China experienced in the past couple of years.

Beijing is also the world's largest and fastest-growing producer of renewable energy. Xie says that the nation's power sector can still peak emissions by 2025, but that emissions released today will continue to linger in the atmosphere for decades.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Despite its pledge to reduce emissions from fossil fuels, China as per Greenland has this year approved a major surge in coal power. The jump in approval of coal-powered power plants has sparked concerns that China, which happens to be the world's second-largest economy and also globally the biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases driving climate change, will backtrack on its climate goals.

Despite its pledge to reduce emissions from fossil fuels, China as per Greenland has this year approved a major surge in coal power. The jump in approval of coal-powered power plants has sparked concerns that China, which happens to be the world's second-largest economy and also globally the biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases driving climate change, will backtrack on its climate goals. China has pledged that it will reach peak emissions between 2026 and 2030 and that by 2060 it will become carbon-neutral. However, as per Greenpeace, in the first three months of 2023, local governments in "energy-hungry" Chinese provinces have approved at least 20.45 gigawatts (GW) of coal-fired power. This, according to AFP, is more than double the 8.63 GW which Greenpeace reported for the same time period last year and surpasses the 18.55 GW approved for the entirety of 2021. Also read | China, world's largest polluter, approved record coal power plants in 2022: Report Most of the newly approved coal projects, as per AFP, are in provinces that, during the last two years, have suffered "punishing power shortages" due to record heatwaves. Others are in the southwest part of the country where last year, a record drought significantly cut down the hydropower output. In February, the Global Energy Monitor (GEM) released a study according to which last year China approved the largest expansion of coal-fired power plants since 2015. Also read | World burnt more coal when it needed to cut emissions: Report As per Greenpeace campaigner Xie Wenwen, China's push for more coal plants "risks climate disasters... and locking us into a high-carbon pathway." "The 2022 coal boom has clearly continued into this year." Last year, China reportedly relied on coal for nearly 60 per cent of its electricity needs. Watch | China approves biggest expansion in new coal power plants Greenpeace experts cautioned that investing in additional fossil-fuel plants to cope with the surge in air conditioning would generate a vicious cycle: higher greenhouse gas emissions from the coal plants would accelerate global warming, leading to more frequent extreme weather events like the heat waves China experienced in the past couple of years. Beijing is also the world's largest and fastest-growing producer of renewable energy. Xie says that the nation's power sector can still peak emissions by 2025, but that emissions released today will continue to linger in the atmosphere for decades. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Three months into 2023, China approves record coal burning plants despite pledge to reduce emissions

Gurugram has been ranked the most polluted city in the world, while New Delhi is the most polluted national capital, according to a recent study conducted by environment NGO Greenpeace India.

According to the study 20 out of the 25 most-polluted cities across the world are in India.&nbsp;

New Delhi's neighbour regions Gurugram and Ghaziabad topped the charts while the capital city took the eleventh spot in the worldwide list in 2018.

The remaining five out of 25 most polluted cities in the world are spread in China, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The report measures the air quality in terms of PM2.5 data as aggregated through the IQAir AirVisual platform in 2018.

According to the information obtained during the study based on the PM2.5 data of the different cities in the world, report says that of the cities included in South Asia, it is interesting to note that, although Delhi typically receives most media coverage as one of the world’s 'pollution capitals', the Indian capital 'only' ranks 10th for annual PM2.5 concentration. Other cities across Northern India and Pakistan have a higher recorded annual PM2.5 level, with nearby Gurugram narrowly resulting in the highest annual concentration of any global city recorded here during 2018.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 500px;">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Rank</td>
			<td>City</td>
			<td>2018 AVG ( PM2.5)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>1</td>
			<td>Gurugram, India</td>
			<td>135.8</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2</td>
			<td>Ghaziabad, India</td>
			<td>135.2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>3</td>
			<td>Faisalabad, Pakistan</td>
			<td>222.1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>4</td>
			<td>Faridabad, India</td>
			<td>129.1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>5</td>
			<td>Bhiwadi, India</td>
			<td>125.4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>6</td>
			<td>Noida, India</td>
			<td>123.6</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>7</td>
			<td>Patna, India</td>
			<td>119.7</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>8</td>
			<td>Hotan, China</td>
			<td>116</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>9</td>
			<td>Lucknow, India</td>
			<td>115.7</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>10</td>
			<td>Lahore, Pakistan</td>
			<td>114.9</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>11</td>
			<td>Delhi, India</td>
			<td>113.5</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>12</td>
			<td>Jodhpur, India</td>
			<td>113.4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>13</td>
			<td>Muzaffarpur, India</td>
			<td>110.3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>14</td>
			<td>Varanasi, India</td>
			<td>105.3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>15</td>
			<td>Moradabad, India</td>
			<td>104.9</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>16</td>
			<td>Agra, India</td>
			<td>104.8</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>17</td>
			<td>Dhaka, Bangladesh</td>
			<td>97.1</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>18</td>
			<td>Gaya, India</td>
			<td>96.6</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>19</td>
			<td>Kashgar, China</td>
			<td>95.7</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>20</td>
			<td>Jind, India</td>
			<td>91.6</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>21</td>
			<td>Kanpur, India</td>
			<td>88.2</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>22</td>
			<td>Singrauli, India</td>
			<td>86.8</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>23</td>
			<td>Kolkata, India</td>
			<td>85.4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>24</td>
			<td>Pali, India</td>
			<td>82.3</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>25</td>
			<td>Rohtak, India</td>
			<td>81.6</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Air pollution will take an estimated seven million lives globally in the next year while costing the world’s economy nearly $ 225 billion, said the Greenpeace report.

According to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the annual permissible limit for PM2.5 is 40ug/m3. The annual permissible limits prescribed by the World Health Organization are even lower at 10ug/m3.​&nbsp;

According to the report, air pollution will cause around 7 million premature deaths globally next year and have a major economic impact.

Gurugram has been ranked the most polluted city in the world, while New Delhi is the most polluted national capital, according to a recent study conducted by environment NGO Greenpeace India.

Gurugram has been ranked the most polluted city in the world, while New Delhi is the most polluted national capital, according to a recent study conducted by environment NGO Greenpeace India. According to the study 20 out of the 25 most-polluted cities across the world are in India. New Delhi's neighbour regions Gurugram and Ghaziabad topped the charts while the capital city took the eleventh spot in the worldwide list in 2018. The remaining five out of 25 most polluted cities in the world are spread in China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The report measures the air quality in terms of PM2.5 data as aggregated through the IQAir AirVisual platform in 2018. According to the information obtained during the study based on the PM2.5 data of the different cities in the world, report says that of the cities included in South Asia, it is interesting to note that, although Delhi typically receives most media coverage as one of the world’s 'pollution capitals', the Indian capital 'only' ranks 10th for annual PM2.5 concentration. Other cities across Northern India and Pakistan have a higher recorded annual PM2.5 level, with nearby Gurugram narrowly resulting in the highest annual concentration of any global city recorded here during 2018. Rank City 2018 AVG ( PM2.5) 1 Gurugram, India 135.8 2 Ghaziabad, India 135.2 3 Faisalabad, Pakistan 222.1 4 Faridabad, India 129.1 5 Bhiwadi, India 125.4 6 Noida, India 123.6 7 Patna, India 119.7 8 Hotan, China 116 9 Lucknow, India 115.7 10 Lahore, Pakistan 114.9 11 Delhi, India 113.5 12 Jodhpur, India 113.4 13 Muzaffarpur, India 110.3 14 Varanasi, India 105.3 15 Moradabad, India 104.9 16 Agra, India 104.8 17 Dhaka, Bangladesh 97.1 18 Gaya, India 96.6 19 Kashgar, China 95.7 20 Jind, India 91.6 21 Kanpur, India 88.2 22 Singrauli, India 86.8 23 Kolkata, India 85.4 24 Pali, India 82.3 25 Rohtak, India 81.6 Air pollution will take an estimated seven million lives globally in the next year while costing the world’s economy nearly $ 225 billion, said the Greenpeace report. According to the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, the annual permissible limit for PM2.5 is 40ug/m3. The annual permissible limits prescribed by the World Health Organization are even lower at 10ug/m3. According to the report, air pollution will cause around 7 million premature deaths globally next year and have a major economic impact.

Gurugram world's most polluted city, 20 Indian cities in top 25, reveals Greenpeace report

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Three months into 2023, China approves record coal burning plants despite pledge to reduce emissions

Gurugram world's most polluted city, 20 Indian cities in top 25, reveals Greenpeace report