Greenhouse Gas Emissions - China - May 2020s

Greenhouse Gas Emissions - China - May 2020s

In the 2020s, China remains the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, emitting about 11.9 gigatons of CO2 in 2021. This is equivalent to about 33% of the world's total, well above the U.S. and India. With China's economic growth and rapid urbanization, coal continues to be the main source of energy consumption, accounting for about 60% of total emissions. In particular, the presence of large-scale power plants and steel mills in industrial areas such as Hebei and Shanxi provinces is a major contributor to CO2 emissions.

The Chinese government has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, and in 2020 set a mid-term goal of peaking CO2 emissions by 2030, in accordance with the Paris Agreement. However, the introduction of renewable energy remains a challenge, as approximately 85% of domestic energy consumption is dependent on fossil fuels.

On the other hand, China leads the world in renewable energy deployment and is the world's largest solar power producer; by 2021, China's total solar power capacity will reach 306 gigawatts, or 35% of the global total. In addition, wind power generation capacity has reached 328 gigawatts and is becoming an important part of the country's energy supply.

The country is also actively promoting the use of electric vehicles (EVs), and by 2021, more than 3.4 million EVs will have been sold, making it the largest EV market in the world. The Chinese government has announced plans for 100% of new vehicle sales to be EVs and hybrids by 2035, and is working to reduce emissions in the transportation sector.

However, the pace of energy transition remains slow, and new coal-fired power plants continue to be built, especially in northern regions where electricity demand surges in the winter months. Although China's energy plan to 2050 calls for phasing out coal use, the transition to renewable energy will require considerable time and investment.

Thus, while China has made significant progress in introducing renewable energy and promoting EVs, moving away from a coal-dependent economic structure remains a major challenge to achieving carbon neutrality.