China's coal conundrum: development, problems and solutions

China's rapid economic growth has forced it to rely on an abundant natural endowment of coal and this reliance will continue well into the future. Unfortunately, there are costs associated with coal to both the human and natural environment. These costs must be carefully weighed as future energy policy is developed. The aim of this paper is to summarize the development strategies followed by the People's Republic of China since 1949. Secondly, the problems associated with coal will be considered. China's use of coal and mining practices will be compared to that of the United States to gain global perspective. Lastly, solutions from within and without China will be reviewed. A more holistic solution to China's coal conundrum will be elaborated that, while taking economic realities into account, attempts to arrive at an ethical solution for current and future generations. Cybele Seeds is an Assistant Professor of French, German & Humanities at Palm Beach Atlantic University, and a candidate for the Ph.D. in the Public Intellectuals track of the Comparative Studies program at Florida Atlantic University. Her specializations are Globalization and Gender Studies. This paper was presented at the Comparative Studies Association 2008 Conference: Interdisciplinarity and Environmental Sustainability.