Phasing Out Fossil Fuels Is ‘Unrealistic,’ China Climate Envoy Says
A coal-fired power station in Tongling, Anhui province, China.
Photographer: Qilai Shen/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Phasing out fossil fuels completely is not a realistic goal, according to China’s climate envoy and the world’s top greenhouse emitter’s representative to the United Nations’ climate talks in November.
Fossil fuels are essential to maintain grid stability and energy security given the sometimes unreliable nature of renewables, Xie Zhenhua said, according to a video recording of a speech at a conference in Beijing.