As you know, coal is an energy source that is used widely throughout the world, but China¿s coal consumption is especially high.-about 69.5 percent of China¿s energy use comes from coal. One city in China is notorious for being the ¿Most polluted city in the world¿. The city¿s name is Linfen, a city in the Southern side of the province of Shanxi.

During the 1990s, the city reached its peak in air pollution. It was even selected as one of the most polluted 10 places on Earth. Considering that the famous nuclear site Chernobile was on the list, we can see that the pollution in Linfen was devastating.

Because of this extensive usage of coal and the intense air pollution, the lives of Linfen citizens are in serious peril. It is said that the sun could be seen for just a few days, the village is always black, and people do not wash their clothes because the clothes get filthy again very soon after washing. Workers who work in the coal mines suffer from respiratory diseases, and the number of disabled newborn babies is increasing rapidly. The Chinese government commanded the officials of Linfen to improve the miners¿ working conditions and the environment of Linfen, but the local government of Linfen didn¿t try to make the changes.

Experts say that if China¿s massive coal consumption continues, China will be completely out of its underground resources before the end of the 21^st century. Hopefully, China is making quite a progress in the technology field of IGCC, which is the process of clarifying the coal and maximizing its efficiency.