In Short : One significant change was the 1% decrease in China’s carbon dioxide emissions from the first half of 2025 to the same time in 2024. This decrease illustrates how the use of renewable energy is becoming more significant despite the ongoing need for electricity.
Clean Power Liberation Lessens Reliance on Fossils
The greatest source of China’s greenhouse gas emissions, the power industry, saw a 3% decrease in CO₂ output, which mirrored a 3% decrease in coal use, while natural gas use increased by almost 6%. This implies that coal is gradually being replaced in the energy mix by greener sources like solar and wind.
Impacts of the Industrial Slowdown, but Chemicals Sector Emissions Rise
Emissions were decreased by slower activity in industries like steel, cement, and construction materials. However, the chemicals industry’s emissions have increased by about 3% since 2020 due to a jump in the use of coal for petrochemicals and synthetic fuels; if unchecked, this increase is predicted to increase by another 2% by 2029.
Greater Importance: Emergence of Structural Emission Trends
This fall in emissions seems to be the result of structural changes, specifically the clean energy boom changing China’s energy profile, in contrast to earlier declines linked to slowdowns. To maintain the nation’s progress toward its 2030 emissions peak and 2060 net-zero targets, however, firm action is required to slow the rise of coal-to-chemicals.
