China’s carbon emissions fell during the last 12 months as growth in clean energy weakened coal-fired power generation and outpaced rising electricity demand.
It’s the first time nonemitting sources of energy drove declines in China’s climate pollution, according to a new analysis by Lauri Myllyvirta at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air.
“Electricity supply from new wind, solar and nuclear capacity was enough to cut coal-power output even as demand surged, whereas previous [carbon] falls were due to weak growth,” said the analysis, which was published in Carbon Brief.
Drawing on a mix of government and industry data, it found that China’s emissions declined 1.6 percent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period a year earlier. It also found that emissions fell 1 percent over the last 12 months.
