FacebookTwitterLinkedInEmailPrint分享From the Associated Press:The amount of coal that China is using is tumbling as its electricity consumption falls and that decline may help the country’s greenhouse gas emissions peak a decade earlier than expected, according to a new analysis.China is the globe’s largest consumer of coal, burning more than three times that of the U.S., and it’s the world’s leading carbon dioxide emitter, the leading driver of climate change.But after pledging last year to cut its emissions to tackle climate change, China is showing signs of reducing its reliance on fossil fuels: the country’s electricity demand grew by 0.5 percent in 2015 while its coal consumption fell 5 percent and its coal imports fell 35 percent, according the analysis by the Institute of Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a nonprofit group focusing on global energy.“Data from the China National Energy Agency confirms that the country is successfully diversifying away from thermal power generation at a far-faster-than-expected rate,” the report says. “Wind, solar, hydro and nuclear continue to gain share at coal’s expense, consistent with a trend established in 2011.”Thermal power capacity — the amount of electricity China can produce from burning fossil fuels — fell by 9 percent last year, from 54.1 percent of its power supply in 2014 to 49.4 percent in 2015.“The model for their economy is changing from a far more industrial one to a more service-oriented economy,” Tom Sanzillo, IEEFA director of finance, said. “As a function of that, you demand less electricity, you burn less coal.”The implications of the changes are huge, the analysis says.“China’s total emissions are on track to peak potentially a decade earlier than their official target of no later than 2030,” it says.A Bloomberg New Energy Finance analysis shows that China’s emissions may have fallen by 2 percent in 2015 because of its declining use of coal. Bloomberg also reported that China’s investments in renewables and energy efficiency rose 17 percent in 2015 to $110 billion, doubling U.S. investments in renewables, which totaled $56 billion.The U.S. is also seeing a decline in coal consumption, falling 10 percent last year as natural gas competes with coal as the leading fuel for electric power generation.Beyond climate concerns, China’s notoriously bad urban air pollution is one of the biggest reasons the country’s coal use is falling, Sanzillo said.“China is responding somewhat to the greenhouse gas issue, but they’re much more responding to an internal pollution problem,” he said. “If the people are choking, then the government is not doing its job. They need to reduce coal consumption for the people to be able to live in major cities.”China’s Coal Use Declines As Electricity Demand Falls Flat As China Evolves Into a Service Economy, Its Coal Use Slows
Kupcho, the No. 1-ranked amateur in the world, had a back-nine surge comparable to any Masters champion.She trailed by two strokes with six holes to play against close friend and Arkansas Razorback Maria Fassi. Kupcho aimed for the green on the par-5 13th and eventually eagled the hole. She carded consecutive birdies on 15 and 16, while Fassi bogeyed 16, to take a two-stroke lead.Kupcho finished her round with a long birdie putt on the 18th hole to close out a round of 5-under 67 and a four-shot victory.She was five under through the final six holes.“It was a lot of fun to play out there with Maria Fassi. We’re definitely great friends and it was a great time,” Kupcho said, via Golfweek.com. “There’s no other person I’d like to walk 18 holes at Augusta with than Maria.”Incredible finish! Jennifer Kupcho goes five under through the final six holes to win the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.#ANWAgolf pic.twitter.com/Eztbs59tZT— Augusta National Women’s Amateur (@anwagolf) April 6, 2019The event, which had crowds similar to Sunday at a major, was announced a year ago at a course that has famously shut out women, and people of color, for the better part of its existence. Augusta National didn’t have a female member until 2012 and now, seven years later, held its first-ever event for women.University of Virginia senior Anna Redding also made history over the weekend by hitting the first shot in competition by a woman in the 85-year history of the club. “I was shaking, I can tell you that,” Redding said, via Golf.com. “I’ve never seen this many people out on a golf course. I haven’t been to the Masters, so this is as many people as there’s ever been. This is way more that’s ever watched me hit a golf shot. … My goodness, there was a lot of pressure but it was so fun, just to have this opportunity to hit a golf shot at Augusta, in competition, was enough. And to be the first, it means a lot.”Kupcho and Fassi were the only two players in the field to have already qualified for the LPGA Tour. They deferred their LPGA cards until after the NCAA Championship. Jennifer Kupcho made history Saturday.The Wake Forest senior won the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur and became the first woman to hoist a trophy at the Augusta National Golf Club.