China’s CO2 emissions flatten out

China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months, adding evidence that the world’s biggest polluter may have hit its target of peak output well ahead of schedule

CHINA’S EMISSIONS
Mt CO2

Covid-19 lockdowns

Covid-19 lockdowns

Mar 2024-Sep 2025: Emissions flat – they could fall this year in absence of any year-end spike

Sep 2020: Government pledges to cap carbon emissions by 2030

2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
10,500
11,000
11,500
12,000
12,500
10,000

INSTALLED SOLAR CAPACITY SHARE (%, 2024)

China’s emissions slowdown reflects weaker growth in construction and manufacturing, while boom in renewable energy is meeting rising electricity demand

U.S.: 8% 50 gigawatts (GW)
India: 5% 30.7GW
Brazil: 3% 18.9GW
Germany: 3%
17.4GW
Spain: 2%
8.7GW
Türkiye: 2%
8.5GW
Italy: 1%
6.8GW
France: 1%
4.7GW
Japan: 1%
6.2GW
Rest: 19%
116GW
China: 55%
329GW
TOTAL
597GW

China added 240GW of solar capacity in first nine months of 2025, putting it on track for another renewable record in 2025

Sources: Carbon Brief, SolarPowerEurope, FT
Picture: Getty Images
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