China’s carbon emissions fell by about 1% in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to the study by CREA’s lead analyst Lauri Myllyvirta for UK-based research organisation Carbon Brief. This decline is largely driven by a surge in renewable energy, especially rapid expansion in solar power capacity.
As reported, China’s power sector, the country’s largest source of emissions, saw a 3% reduction in greenhouse gases as solar, wind, and nuclear power generation outpaced the rising electricity demand, which increased by around 3-3.7% during this period. Coal use for electricity generation dropped by 3%, while natural gas use increased by 6%.
This reduction indicates a structural shift in China’s emissions trend, with carbon emissions possibly peaking well ahead of China’s government target of 2030. However, China will need to sustain a 3% annual emissions reduction to meet its goal of carbon neutrality by 2060. Despite the overall decline, emissions from the chemical sector and coal used in petrochemical products are still rising.
China’s installation of solar capacity in the first half of 2025 was unprecedented, adding 212 gigawatts, surpassing the entire solar capacity of the United States as of the end of 2024. Solar energy generation in China has already overtaken hydropower and is expected to surpass wind power to become the country’s largest clean energy source.
The ongoing expansion of renewable energy infrastructure is critically impacting global emissions trajectories, suggesting a hopeful pathway in global climate efforts despite the challenges that remain, especially China’s continued reliance on coal.