A Climate Turning Point: China’s Carbon Emissions Drop While West Sees Alarming Increase
While China’s carbon emissions are falling, the U.S. and Europe see an alarming increase.
Source: Sina Finance | Author: Global Times
Thanks to a significant increase in renewable and nuclear energy production, China’s carbon emissions declined in the first quarter of 2025, despite a surge in electricity demand, AFP (Agence France-Presse) reported on Thursday, describing it as a key milestone for China.
China has pledged to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. A research published last year showed that the country has made substantial investments in renewable energy, with installed wind and solar power capacity nearly double that of all other countries combined.
The Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) said in its latest analysis that China’s CO₂ emissions dropped by 1.6% year-on-year in the first quarter, citing official and commercial data. Over the 12 months ending in March, emissions were down 1% compared to the previous year. The decline was attributed largely to increased power generation from wind, solar, and nuclear energy.
The report noted that China had seen declines in carbon emissions before, typically driven by reduced demand, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022. However, the current trend marks a significant shift. In the first quarter of this year, overall electricity demand in China rose by 2.5%, yet carbon emissions fell.\
“The growth in clean power generation has now outpaced both current and long-term average growth in electricity demand, thereby reducing reliance on fossil fuels,” said Lauri Myllyvirta, an analyst at the CREA, emphasizing that this is the first time the decline in total carbon emissions has been primarily driven by clean energy. AFP also highlighted that, by sector, emissions from China’s power industry dropped by 5.8% in the first quarter, marking a significant reduction.
While China’s carbon emissions are falling, the U.S. and Europe see an alarming increase. Also on May 15, Reuters reported that although China achieved its largest reduction in power sector emissions since 2020 so far this year, global power-related emissions have remained largely flat due to increased fossil fuel generation in the U.S. and Europe.
According to data from the UK-based energy think tank Ember, fossil fuel emissions in the U.S. and Europe increased by 7% in Q1 2025, adding 53 million metric tons of CO₂ compared to 2024. This rise in emissions from the two regions has offset the reductions achieved by China’s fossil fuel sector.
The article particularly highlights a bleak outlook for future emissions reductions in the U.S.. With electricity demand steadily increasing and the new administration strongly supporting fossil fuels, there is little incentive for related industries to cut emissions. Additionally, rising natural gas prices have prompted a shift toward coal, which is more polluting. From January to March this year, U.S. coal-fired power generation surged by 23% compared to the same period in 2024, while gas-fired power generation declined by 4%.
The original Chinese version of this article was first published in Sina Finance on May 16th, 2025. The views don't necessarily reflect those of BeijingOpinion.