Coal in China: From the earth to the skies

A Chinese flag flies in front of a coal-fired power plant in Tianjin, China. China is the world's biggest user of coal, and the world's biggest emitter of carbon Photograph: Jeff Hutchens/Getty Images

A sculpture of late Chairman Mao Zedong is dusted by coal pollution at a farmer's home in the Sichuan Province, China. The Chinese used 7% more coal in 2008 than a year previously, despite a 73% price rise. Photograph: Guang Niu/Getty Images

An open pit coal mine in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia. Its parent company, Pingzhuang Coal Groups Company, produces 10m tonnes per year Photograph: China Photos/Getty Images

The Moxinpo colliery in Chongqing. Accidents in China's coal mines claim over 5,000 lives each year, accounting for around 80% of the world's total coalmining deaths Photograph: China Photos/Getty Images

Many Chinese live in close proximity to coal mines. Coal is responsible for 70% of soot, 85% of sulphur dioxide, 67% of nitrogen oxides and 80% of carbon dioxide emitted in the country — leading to respiratory diseases Photograph: Guang Niu/Getty Images

A worker pushes a tram at a colliery in Leshan City, Sichuan province. According to state media, in 2006, China produced 35% of the world's coal Photograph: China Photos/Getty Images

Dickensian scenes as residents of Linfen, a centre of coal production, cover their mouths with masks to protect their lungs from soot and smoke Photograph: Wu Hong/EPA/Corbis

Workers assemble toys on a production line at a toy factory in Shantou. China's rapid rate of economic growth – up to 13% a year, before the global financial meltdown – has been driven by manufacturing, which has increased its energy needs Photograph: AFP

As China has moved away from a command economy in the last 25 years, output quadrupled and domestic demand for consumer goods also rose correspondingly, increasing energy demands further still Photograph: ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

Dense smog blocks the sun's rays: the view from the Shanghai World Financial tower, China Photograph: Dan Chung/Guardian