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China has witnessed unprecedented growth in carbon emissions over a short period. The country now accounts for over 30% of global emissions, a stark contrast to nations like the UK and the U.S., whose industrial revolutions unfolded over decades and centuries. China's economic boom began in the 1980s under Deng Xiaoping's reforms, leading to skyrocketing emissions levels that have risen at an alarming rate compared to other major polluters. Coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, is a significant contributor to this growth, with China consuming half of the world’s coal to sustain its massive population and heavy industry.