10 Nov 2026

China's carbon emissions have reached a turning point. According to a study by Carbon Brief, a UK-based website covering climate science, climate policy, and energy policy, China's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions fell 3.1% between July and September 2026. The decline was the largest quarterly decline since the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2022.

Off China's coast, massive wind farms generate electricity from strong ocean winds, while vast arrays of solar panels cover rooftops. Meanwhile, enormous wind and solar farms have sprung up across the country's deserts as part of China's rapid transition to renewable energy.

China remains the world's largest CO2 emitter. However, coal accounted for less than half of the country's electricity generation in the first half of 2026, marking the first time in its history. An analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), a Finland-based research organization specializing in energy and air pollution, also found a significant decline in China's carbon emissions. The findings support a trend of emissions remaining "flat or falling" that began since March 2024, a pattern that has now lasted for more than two years.