China's carbon dioxide emissions in the third quarter of 2025 remained flat compared to the same period last year, continuing the stagnation or decline trend since March 2024. According to a recent report by Carbon Brief, this trend is attributed to a 5% decrease in transportation fuel emissions driven by the popularity of electric vehicles, as well as reduced production of cement and steel. Although emissions from the power sector remained stable, strong growth in the chemical industry offset the emission reductions in other areas. The report noted that electricity demand in the third quarter increased by 6.1%, higher than the 3.7% increase in the first half of the year, but total emissions in the power sector did not increase due to a 46% and 11% increase in solar and wind power generation respectively. In the first nine months of this year, China added 24 gigawatts of solar capacity and 6.1 gigawatts of wind power, which is expected to set another record for renewable energy. Petroleum demand in the transportation sector decreased by 5%, but emissions related to the chemical industry increased by 10% due to increased production of products such as plastics. As of now, China's total carbon emissions for the year may have slightly decreased or increased, with a decline of about 3% in September alone. If the high electricity consumption pattern of summer repeats, emissions for the whole year will see a substantial decrease. However, the report warns that China will still miss its target of reducing carbon intensity between 2020 and 2025, and needs to significantly accelerate emission reductions in the next five years to reach its peak before 2030.
Image source: Internet
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848567052106762/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.