China records largest quarterly emissions drop since pandemic due to energy shocks

China saw its carbon dioxide emissions fall by 3.1 percent between July and September, marking the country's largest quarterly decline since the 2022 pandemic lockdowns.

Analysts from Carbon Brief attribute this drop to a combination of the Iran war and a rapid shift toward renewable energy. Oil use decreased by 4 percent as high fuel costs prompted Chinese drivers to switch to electric vehicles.

In September, electric cars accounted for two out of every three new passenger vehicles sold in the country. Coal emissions also fell by 3 percent because the growth of wind, solar, and nuclear power exceeded the rise in electricity demand. China added enough clean energy during this period to power Germany and more than twice the amount needed to meet its own domestic demand. However, the country still builds new coal plants while the existing fleet sees fewer running hours.

A lack of transmission infrastructure currently prevents the country from moving abundant clean energy to areas where it is needed. This issue is compounded by a policy that guarantees the purchase of electricity from new coal plants. Consequently, China rejected roughly one quarter of its wind and solar output during the first six months of the year.