China will be the most polluting country

It is thought that a coal-fired power plant will appear in China every four days (photo: BBC)

It was previously thought that China would only become the most atmospheric of carbon dioxide emissions by 2010. However, China's rapid economic growth coupled with its large energy demand. has shortened the estimated time.

Earlier this week a British official said that every four days China would build a new coal-fired thermal power plant. Reporters say that the moment of the International Energy Agency's statement is remarkable.

It was preceded by a series of meetings on climate change and could be aimed at increasing pressure on China to take more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.