China’s Emissions Fell Last Year in First Decline Since 2022

China’s carbon dioxide emissions fell 0.3% in 2025, the first annual decline since Covid-era restrictions in 2022 — and more importantly, a reduction that’s happened even as energy demand growth remains strong.

The drop, outlined in an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air for Carbon Brief, was driven by a fall in emissions across nearly all major sectors including power, where a banner year for renewables drove down coal consumption despite the continued build-out of thermal power stations.