China Says Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Is Unrealistic

Phasing out fossil fuels is unrealistic as oil, natural gas, and coal will continue to play a crucial role in global energy supply and energy security, China’s special climate envoy Xie Zhenhua said this week in a speech obtained by Reuters. “It is unrealistic to completely phase out fossil fuel energy,” Xie, who will represent China at COP28 in Dubai in November, told ambassadors in Beijing ahead of the climate summit. China is the world’s biggest consumer of coal and the largest importer of crude oil. Despite soaring renewable…