- "China loses between 100 and 200 million tons of coal a year -- a significant fraction of its production of 2.26 billion tons -- to mine fires,....... This results in carbon dioxide emissions in a range of between 560 and 1,120 million metric tons, equaling 50% to 100% of all U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from gasoline.  It may well be less costly for us to put out the Chinese mine fires than to cut emissions at home."


Two actions we need to take:

   1)  Enact a federal tax shift from income to non-renewable energy to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  How much of a tax shift?  Based on our minuscule efforts, what right do we have to ask China to reduce their GHG emissions?  We are, by far, the world's largest per capita emitter of GHG.

   2)  Let's make a deal with China and other countries.  We'll sign a GHG reduction agreement if they do AND if putting out mine fires in China "counts" for the country that does it.


P.S. - Mine-fires in China and their global warming effect are not just now being "discovered."  Here's an excerpt from February 2003 article in the Post-Gazette.com:

     - The Chinese fires also make a big, hidden contribution to global warming through the greenhouse effect, scientists said. Each year they release 360 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as much as all the cars and light trucks in the United States.

This was 4 1/2 years ago.  Why has there been so little publicity of these mine-fires?