Climate

Analysis: China’s quarterly CO2 falls 3% in largest drop since Covid

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 06/11/2026, 00:20:24 UTC.

Briefings

China's CO2 emissions fell 3.1% in Q3 2026, the largest quarterly drop since the 2022 pandemic lockdowns. This decline resulted from a 3% drop in coal use and 4% drop in oil, driven by reduced power-sector coal consumption, sharp transport oil cuts, and slowing coal-to-chemical growth. Clean power generation (solar, wind, nuclear) increased by 110 TWh year-on-year, exceeding total electricity demand growth. The trend began in March 2024 and has persisted for over two years.

Key points

• China's CO2 emissions fell 3.1% in the third quarter of 2026, the largest quarterly reduction since the 2022 pandemic lockdowns.
• Clean power generation increased by 110 terawatt hours year-on-year, exceeding total electricity demand growth and adding clean power equal to Germany's total power output in the same period.

Context

This analysis comes from Carbon Brief, a research organization tracking climate data. The findings indicate that despite continued coal capacity expansion, average plant running hours are falling faster than total generation, eroding profits. The decline is part of a broader trend extending since March 2024.

Limitations

Data sources are limited to official figures and commercial data as listed in previous iterations. The outlook depends on future energy demand, clean-energy growth, and government stimulus responses to GDP slowdowns. Some specific driver percentages (e.g., 3.3% coal-power drop) are estimates based on available quarterly data.

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