A joint Japan-China research project for reducing pollution in China in the context of the Kyoto protocol Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): Case study of the desulfurdized bio-coal briquette experiments in Shenyang and Chengdu

The Kyoto Protocol agreed on in 1997 allows some flexibility for developed countries in their implementations of their commitments to reduce emissions of CO₂ and other global warming gases. In particular developed countries may receive emission credits for facilitating international cooperation for developing clean development mechanisms (CDMs) between themselves and developing countries. CDMs must reduce emissions of global warming gases on a sustainable basis in the developing countries involved. Such CDMs are expected to be an important tool for Japan and other developed countries for achieving their Kyoto Protocol commitments to reduce their CO₂ emissions, but assessments and implementations of alternative CDMs require careful international joint research efforts. In this paper, we discuss our on-going Japan-China joint research to develop and evaluate bio-coal briquette (biobriquette), a new product to replace coal in some regions of China. Coal is a significant source of air pollution in China. The introduction of biobriquette use in China as a possible COM for Japan is also discussed.