China achieved its mission to reduce carbon emissions despite an increase in electricity demand

For the first time, China managed to reduce carbon emissions in a context of growing electricity demand. This decrease, recorded in the first quarter of 2025, is attributed to the remarkable progress in renewable energies such as solar and wind, as revealed in a report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).

The Asian country, the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has invested massively in clean energy sources in recent years, in line with its commitment to peak emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

Thanks to these investments, CO₂ emissions fell by 1.6% year-on-year between January and March 2025, despite a 2.5% increase in electricity demand during the same period. This behavior marks a difference from previous reductions, which were due to temporary drops in activity, as occurred during the pandemic lockdowns.

According to CREA, the growth of clean electricity production surpassed the increase in demand for the first time, allowing a reduction in the use of fossil fuels and their consequent polluting emissions.

China managed to reduce carbon emissions.

China reduces emissions but still relies on coal

Although the progress is significant, the report warns that China still faces significant challenges. One of them is the high participation of coal in its energy mix, with 94.5 gigawatts of new plants built in 2024, representing 93% of the global total. In addition, the country is far from meeting its goal of reducing carbon intensity by 65% by 2030 compared to 2005.

In this context, President Xi Jinping recently reaffirmed that the country’s climate efforts “will not slow down” and announced that before COP30 in Brazil, China will unveil new climate commitments towards 2035, which will include all greenhouse gases.

The direction China takes in the coming years will be decisive for global climate. Despite internal contradictions, its leadership in clean energy represents a firm step in the fight against climate change.

carbon capture.

The measures with which China managed to reduce carbon emissions

Despite the sustained increase in energy demand, China implemented a series of strategic measures that allowed it to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions in the first quarter of 2025. These actions combine massive investments in clean energies with energy efficiency policies and industrial transformation.

1. Rapid expansion of renewable energies

   China leads globally in the installation of clean energies. In recent years, it has doubled its solar and wind capacity compared to the rest of the world combined. This massive growth allows meeting more electrical demand without resorting to the use of fossil fuels. Many of these new installations are located near large industrial centers, also reducing energy transport losses.
   

2. Modernization of the power grid

   The country has developed an intelligent power grid with the capacity to integrate large volumes of variable renewable energy. Through the use of artificial intelligence and energy storage systems, the grid can better adapt to changes in generation and demand, reducing the need for backup thermal plants.
   

3. Restrictions on coal consumption in certain regions

   Although coal remains dominant, China restricts its use in urban and industrialized areas, forcing many companies to transition to cleaner sources. Some provinces have also closed low-efficiency and highly polluting power plants.
   

4. Incentives for industrial energy efficiency

   Heavy industry —such as steel and cement— received new regulations to reduce their energy intensity. This includes technological improvements, mandatory use of heat recycling systems, digital monitoring, and less polluting processes.
   

5. Cleaner electric and urban transportation
   
   China aggressively promoted the use of electric vehicles and non-polluting public transportation. Major cities renewed their bus and taxi fleets with electric or hybrid models, while millions of electric chargers were installed.
   

6. National carbon market

   The implementation of the national emission trading system (ETS) began to affect business behavior. Companies that exceed their emission limits must buy permits, encouraging the adoption of clean technologies to reduce long-term costs.
   

7. Investment in carbon capture and storage (CCS)

   Although still in the early stages, China has started developing CCS pilot projects to mitigate emissions from industries that cannot easily be electrified. These technologies capture CO₂ before it reaches the atmosphere and store it underground.
   

These measures, combined with a long-term strategic vision and the commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, are beginning to yield concrete results. However, challenges persist, especially in sectors where energy transition is more complex or costly. The key will be to maintain momentum in innovation and regulation without losing sight of global climate goals.