Analysis: Clean energy just put China’s CO2 emissions into reverse for first time - Carbon Brief
www.carbonbrief.org
For the first time, the growth in China’s clean power generation has caused the nation’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to fall despite rapid power demand growth.

cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/22189256

The latest data, for the first quarter of 2025, shows that China’s CO2 emissions have now been stable or falling for more than a year, as shown in the figure below.

However, with emissions remaining just 1% below the recent peak, it remains possible that they could jump once again to a new record high.

Outside of the power sector, emissions increased 3.5%, with the largest rises in the use of coal in the metals and chemicals industries.

Sector-by-sector analysis suggests that, in addition to the power sector, emissions have likely also peaked in the building materials and steel sectors, as well as oil products consumption.

  • jagged_circle@feddit.nlEnglish
    61·
    2 days ago

    Net doesn’t matter. If we get net zero emissions, we’re fucked.

    We must get it to 0.

    • DahGangalang@infosec.pubEnglish
      21·
      1 day ago

      Yeah, but isn’t net zero the huge milestone that’s actually accomplishable in “our lifetime”*?

      *on some self reflection and as a millennial, very net negative emissions feels accomplishable in my lifetime, so I suppose when I’m saying “our lifetime” I mean before the Boomers/Gen X die off.