This paper proposes that total coal consumption cap is critical for China’s transition toward low-carbon and green development. The process of coal mining，transport and consumption has high external socioeconomic cost，with its huge impact on the ecosystem，environment，public health and climate change. Coal is one of the main contributors to air pollution，smog，solid waste and water pollution. As the world’s largest CO2 emitter，China must first reduce coal consumption before its carbon emission reach theirits peak by 2030. This paper points out that less and clean coal use as well as alternative energies should be important coal consumption control methods in the 13th Five-Year Plan（2016-2020）.