Chinese government postpones plans for new coal-fired power stations
The Chinese government has announced new guidelines for coal-fueled power plants in the country, in an effort to reduce the level of carbon emissions. The new regulations will temporarily halt the approval of new coal-fired power stations and postpone construction of several approved coal plants. Experts have said that the construction of around 200 coal plants would be affected after these new guidelines are enforced. The announcement came two days after China signed the Paris accord. China is among 175 countries that signed the agreement, which aims to curb carbon emissions across the world.  However, analysts feel that despite being a signatory and the announcement of new guidelines, many coal plants will continue to operate across China. This is largely due to the fact that coal plants generate millions of jobs and tax revenues, making them an important contributor to China's economy.

HONG KONG — Coal-fired power plants have propelled much of China’s economic rise for decades, helping make the nation the world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. Even with economic growth slackening, and other energy sources taking hold, new coal plants have been added.

Now Beijing is trying to slow things down.

In guidelines released on Monday, China halted plans for new coal-fired power stations in many parts of the country, and construction of some approved plants will be postponed until at least 2018.

The announcement, by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, means that about 200 planned coal-fired power generators — those seeking approval and those approved but not yet under construction — may not be completed, said Lauri Myllyvirta, who analyzes China’s energy production for Greenpeace.