EPA unveils Clean Power Plan

The Heat

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled its new Clean Power Plan last week, promising a 30% slash in CO2 emissions from America’s power plants by the year 2030.

China, the United States, and the European Union are the world’s top three producers of CO2. China is moving away from coal-fired power plants, spurred by the country’s pollution problem. However, there’s been a growing demand for coal in the EU. CCTV’s Cui Lingnan reports.

Coal is the dirtiest kind of fossil fuel, emitting around twice as much carbon dioxide as natural gas. Washington’s new Clean Power Plan aims to adopt clean coal technology to reduce emissions. To discuss the politics of coal in the United States, CCTV’s Anand Naidoo is joined by Michael Brower, President and CEO of the American Council on Renewable Energy; and Paul “Chip” Knappenberger, Assistant Director of the Center for the Study of Science at the Cato Institute.

The global landscape for climate action is changing. The U.S. just announced plans to limit CO2 emissions from its fleet of more than 1,600 power plants; China is about to open its 7th regional carbon emission exchange; and Europe, a strong advocate for cutting carbon emissions, has been buying more coal for securing the continent’s energy supply. To discuss these developments, CCTV’s Anand Naidoo interviews Damian Ryan, Senior Policy Manager at the Climate Group; and Li Shuo, a climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace East Asia.