Along with growing renewable energy capacity, China will need oil and natural gas to meet the needs of a growing middle class. In its 2017 World Energy Outlook, the International Energy Agency forecasts increasing demand for both oil and natural gas out to 2040.
A major jump in natural gas consumption is predicted as a result of Chinese policies aimed at reducing dependence on coal for electricity generation. When burned to produce electricity, coal produces twice as many GHG emissions as natural gas and contributes to other forms of air pollution including smog.
