Beijing 'will ban coal by 2020'

In a bid to address its growing air pollution crisis, China has pledged to ban the use of high-polluting fuel types in Beijing by 2020. The Beijing Municipal Environment Protection Bureau has put forward a proposal that will see the use of coal banned in six of the city's main districts.

China has suffered from increasingly high levels of air and particulate pollution as a result of vast economic growth and a reliance on fossil fuels - particularly coal. As a result, there are periods of time when the nation's main cities are shrouded by thick smog, which comes with both environmental and human health implications.

Poor air quality has, in the last ten years, been linked to an increased rate of cancer and cardiovascular illnesses in many areas of China. It has also resulted in the closure of both businesses and schools.

However, the new proposal could see an end to coal use in China's capital city, which could help towards the country's targets for improving air quality. According to the bureau, facilities and power plants that make use of coal as an energy source throughout the Xicheng, Haidian, Dongcheng, Fengtai, Shijingshan and Chaoyang districts will have to stop using the fuel or face closure. 

Other fuels, such as petroleum coke, fuel oil, biomass-based products and combustible waste will also be included in the ban, according to the news agency Xinhua. All of these create high levels of air pollution, including fine particulate matter, which is incredibly damaging to health and has been linked to a number of diseases.

The plans are part of China's new commitment to cleaning up its environment and aiding towards the fight against climate change. As well as air pollution, the nation has also experienced high levels of water pollution and soil contamination, all of which the country is attempting to deal with in its recent changes to environmental laws.