Silver State Times

The U.S. is moving towards more renewable and solar energy output, as an increase in Chinese coal output nullifies efforts by ordering coal mines to increase production. 

Though China continues to ramp up its coal production, the country emitted the most carbon dioxide of any nation in the world, nearly doubling the United States’ output of 5.41 gigatons as of 2018, according to a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Sheffield Hallam University, a public research organization located in the United Kingdom, published research that linked the suppressed Uyghur population to the global solar panel supply. According to the report, Uyghurs forced into labor in China are responsible for 45% of the world’s solar-grade polysilicon, which 95% of solar modules rely on. According to the same research, every polysilicon producer in the Uyghur Region has reported participation in the “labour transfer programmes and/or are supplied by raw materials companies that have.”

China has previously been accused of genocide against the Uyghur population, and the U.S. Department published a report in January of 2021 detailing the abuses the Chinese Communist Party have inflicted on the Uyghur population beginning at the latest in 2017. 

The labor transfers outlined in the Sheffield Hallam report are involuntary and accomplished through “unprecedented coercion.” The research identified 90 Chinese and international companies whose supply chains are intertwined and thus would be impacted by the realization that the Chinese products are created using forced labor.

A March report by Forbes makes the case that China is set up to be the world’s “Green OPEC.” While one company in the top 10 solar manufacturers is an American company, eight of the remaining nine are Chinese.

Key Elements Group in London, told Forbes that “One of the biggest mistakes the West has done on green policies to cut CO2 emissions and trying to reduce dependence on oil and gas producing nations is that the transition to renewable energy puts the West at the mercy of China.” 

According to the article, nearly 80% of solar panels installed in the United States come from China or Chinese companies.

The recent China order calling for an increase in coal mine production will prohibit mines from shutting down in an effort to stop the rolling blackouts that have been plaguing its regions for the past few weeks, CNN reported Oct. 20. 

While key Democrat holdouts have yet to commit to passing President Joe Biden’s spending bill, the New York Times reported the rest of the party is hopeful they can come to an agreement. Ahead of the United Nation's climate conference that's now underway in Scotland, Biden announced a revised package with climate provisions costing approximately $55 billion.