China Q1 emissions fell despite higher power demand
China's emissions declined in the first quarter of 2025 despite a sharp rise in power demand, thanks to a significant increase in renewable and nuclear energy generation, marking a key milestone for the world's largest emitter, according to analysis released on Thursday.
The country emits more than twice as much planet-warming greenhouse gases -- mainly carbon dioxide -- as any other. It plans to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, News.Az reports citing foreign media.
Beijing has invested heavily in its renewable energy sector, building almost twice as much wind and solar capacity as the rest of the world combined, according to research published last year.
New wind, solar and nuclear capacity meant China's CO2 emissions fell by 1.6 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, and one percent in the 12 months to March, said analyst Lauri Myllyvirta at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
"Growth in clean power generation has now overtaken the current and long-term average growth in electricity demand, pushing down fossil fuel use," Myllyvirta said.
"The current drop is the first time that the main driver is growth in clean power generation."
The analysis is based on official figures and commercial data.
China's emissions have dipped before, but those reductions were driven by falling demand, such as during strict Covid lockdowns in 2022.
This time the drop came despite China's total power demand surging 2.5 percent in the first quarter, said the report published in Carbon Brief.
Power sector emissions fell 5.8 percent in the first quarter, offsetting rises in emissions from coal use in the metals and chemicals industries.
"Renewable energy is now beginning to not only meet China's growing demand but also reduce emissions," said Li Shuo, head of the Asia Society Policy Institute's China Climate Hub.
"This offers hope for an earlier-than-expected peak in China's emissions and should lay the groundwork for an ambitious target in the 2035 nationally determined contribution expected later this year."
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