China 's government is reluctant to reduce coal usage for fear of rising unemployment and unrest , even though it 's the cause of about 40 % of pollution in the country . Cheap coal still provides 70 % of China 's electricity and the country produces and consumes more coal than the rest of the world combined . Despite announcing recently that it will slash coal production and spend $ 360bn on renewable energy , the government is to build two hundred coal - fired power plants in the next decade , increasing coal consumption 20 percent by 2020 .
China's government is reluctant to reduce coal usage for fear of causing unemployment and unrest, even though it's the cause of about 40% of pollution in the country. Cheap coal still provides 70% of China's energy and the country produces and consumes more coal than the rest of the world combined. Despite announcing recently that it will slash coal production and spend $360bn on renewable energy, the government is to build two hundred coal-fired power plants in the next decade, increasing coal capacity 20% by 2020.