China pledge to stop funding coal projects ‘buys time for emissions target’

China was lender of last resort for overseas governments seeking finance for coal projects

Xi Jinping's announcement that China will stop funding overseas coal projects could buy the world about three more months in the race to keep global heating to a relatively safe level of 1.5C, experts say.

Although the impact will depend on implementation, China's declaration should also help to kill off coal, which has been humanity's primary power source for most of the last 200 years.