China’s carbon dioxide emissions fell by 3.1% in the July to September quarter, the fastest rate of decline since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).
The think tank attributed the drop to the impact of the Middle East war, as severe disruption to traffic through the Strait of Hormuz hit oil shipments to China, the world’s biggest crude importer.
China’s overall oil use fell 4% from a year earlier, while oil consumption for transport dropped 9%. Coal use also fell 3% year-on-year, despite the rapid construction of new coal plants in the country.
CREA co-founder and lead analyst Lauri Myllyvirta said oil consumption would likely rebound if prices come down, but noted that China’s oil use had probably already peaked before the shock, which had accelerated the shift towards electrification and away from oil.
China is the world’s biggest emitter, responsible for more than 30% of global greenhouse gases, and has pledged to reach carbon neutrality by 2060.