As China fights severe pollution due to industrialization, the government has turned to synthetic natural gas (SNG) for corporate and residential use. While this chemical improves air quality in the country, the production of SNGs may worsen climate change in the long run.
Since the world saw the disturbing pictures of Chinese people wearing masks, the situation in the smog-blanketed city of Beijing received attention from the international community. Princeton University is one of these concerned organizations.
In fact, the problem is so big that it received attention from international organizations. Princeton University is one of them. Published in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences", the study examined the impact of switching from coal to SNGs. The report was first publicized last April 24.
According to an earlier University Herald report, there were three parameters used in the research. First is electricity production, second is industry, and the third is residential use. At the end of the tests, the experts concluded that SNGs in industrialization and electricity production have "little impact" on the pollution-related deaths in China. Nevertheless, in residential uses like cooking and heating, SNGs could potentially reduce health problems for the locals.
However, as synthetic gas cleans the air in Beijing, its production produces more carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Thus, it significantly contributes to climate change. For one thing, SNGs are fuels derived from coal. This process releases an additional amount of CO2s rather than just directly burning coal as fuel.
On the other hand, per The Himalayan, air pollution is now the biggest health risk in industrial countries all over the world. Some of the most effective solutions so far are the reductions of vehicle exhaust emission. The rise of electronic cars and motorcycles can later play important roles in the war against dirty air.
The common diseases brought about by pollution are lung cancers, cardiovascular impairments, and emphysema. In China alone, the condition kills roughly 1.6 million people yearly. Only four SNG plants are operational at the moment, but 40 more are either proposed or already under construction.
