The total greenhouse gas emissions of the People's Republic of China are the world's highest, accounting for 35% of the world's total, in 2023, according to the International Energy Agency. The country's emissions may have peaked in 2024 or 2025.
When measuring production-based emissions, China emitted over 12.6 gigatonnes (Gt) CO2eq of greenhouse gases in 2023, 35% of the world's total. When measuring in consumption-based terms, which adds emissions associated with imported goods and extracts those associated with exported goods, China accounted for 13 gigatonnes (Gt) or 25% of global emissions in 2019.
Greenhouse gas emissions stem mainly from coal burning, including coal power, coal mining, and blast furnaces producing iron and steel. 79% of CO2 emissions are from the burning of coal. According to the Carbon Majors Database, Chinese state coal production alone accounts for 14% of historical global emissions. In 2024, China's total historical greenhouse gas emissions surpassed those of the European Union (EU), but trailed those of the United States.
, the country's greenhouse gas emissions exceeded the combined emissions of the developed world. China's per capita emissions correspond to over 10.1 tonnes CO2eq emitted per person each year, over the world average and the EU average but lower than the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, the United States, with its 17.6 tonnes per person, according to a 2021 analysis by the Rhodium Group. Analysis by Our World in Data also puts China's per capita emissions at over the world and EU averages but less than averages in Australia, Canada, and the U.S. Accounting for historic emissions, all OECD countries together produced four times more CO2 in cumulative emissions than China, due to developed countries' earlier start in industrialization. Overall, China is a net exporter of greenhouse emissions.
China's first nationally determined contribution target was laid out at the Paris Agreement in 2016. It was revised in 2021 and 2025. China has committed to peak emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2060. According to various analyses, China is estimated to overachieve its renewable energy capacity and emission reduction goals early, though long-term plans are still required to combat global climate change and meeting the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets.
Overall data
Since 2006, China has been the world's largest emitter of annually. As of 2023, it had the 34th highest greenhouse gas emissions per capita. In 2023, China produced 35% of global emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. According to estimates provided by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, China's carbon dioxide emissions in 2006 amounted to 6.2 billion tons, and the United States' co-production in the same year was 5.8 billion tons. In 2006, China's carbon dioxide emissions were 8 percent higher than America's, the agency said. In 2019, China is estimated to have emitted 27% of the world's greenhouse gases, followed by the US with 11%, then India with 6.6%. By 2020, China produced 64% to 66% of global emissions for the two potent greenhouse gases of tetrafluoromethane and hexafluoroethane, according to a study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Impact of 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak
A temporary slowdown in manufacturing, construction, transportation, and overall economic activity during the beginning of the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak reduced China's greenhouse gas emissions by "about a quarter," as reported in February 2020. Nonetheless, for the year April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021, China's emissions reached a record high: nearly 12 billion metric tons. Additionally, China's carbon emissions during the first quarter of 2021 were higher than in the first quarters of both 2019 and 2020. Temporary reductions in carbon emissions due to lockdowns and initial economic relief efforts have limited long-term consequences, while the future direction of fiscal stimulus plays a more significant role in influencing long-term carbon emissions.
Recent trends China experienced the largest increase in emissions at approximately 565 million tonnes in 2023, exacerbated by a historic decrease in hydropower, pushing its per capita emissions 15% higher than those in advanced economies, according to the International Energy Agency.
In 2024, China recorded a 3% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the previous year. This development suggests that emissions might have peaked sooner than the 2030 target initially set. The reduction was largely attributed to an expansion in wind and solar power capacities, which largely covered the increased demand for electricity, coupled with a downturn in the property sector that resulted in lower emissions from industries like steel and cement manufacturing. However, several challenges remain, including the technical difficulties of integrating solar energy into the existing power grid and a continued dependence on coal, which experienced a 2% increase in use in 2023. S&P Global also reported that China approved record-breaking coal capacity in 2022, leading to environmental concerns. Meanwhile, they noted China's capacity factor for coal plants was continuously decreasing, while retirements of old coal plants were accelerating, with data indicating China's greenhouse emissions would peak as early as 2024, due to incremental power demand being met by new renewables installations.
In the first quarter of 2025, China recorded greenhouse gas emissions in reverse due to newly operational clean energy sources. Analysts believed that, if the trend continues, it would signify a structural decline in Chinese emissions, which is driven by clean power generation, instead of a financial crisis or economic slowdown.
In August 2025, Carbon Brief suggested that adding coal capacity did not translate into higher coal usage or emissions, as coal was used for residual load. It also noted that China planned to use coal as a flexible supporting energy backup and aimed to improve system flexibility, though technical limitations still presented. Foreign Policy reported that China's decarbonization efforts continued to accelerate despite ongoing coal use. This progress was attributed to a systematic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions across sectors such as transportation and petrochemicals, alongside a surge in non-fossil energy capacity in 2022, including advancements in energy generation, storage, and grid utilization. The article noted that local energy security needs drove China's construction of new coal power plants and did not reflect the broader national trend in energy development, nor did it significantly hinder the country's decarbonization pace. CarbonBrief said in February 2026 that China's CO2 emissions have been falling for two straight years. It notes that emissions from fossil fuels rose 0.1 percent but they declined from cement by 7 percent. Its carbon intensity (fossil emissions per unit of GDP) levels fell by 4.7 percent in 2025.
Emissions by sources
Energy production
According to the Carbon Majors Database, Chinese state coal production accounts for 14% of historic global emissions, more than double the proportion of the former Soviet Union.
Power is estimated as the largest emitter, with 27% of greenhouse gases produced in 2020 generated by the power sector. Most electricity in China comes from coal, which accounted for 65% of the electricity generation mix in 2019. Electricity generation by renewables has been increasing, with the construction of wind and solar plants doubling from 2019 to 2020.
According to Natural Resources Defense Council, the Chinese power sector is estimated to hit the carbon emission peak around 2029.
In 2020, China continued to build coal power plants but promised to "phase down" coal use from 2026. In 2025, China brought 78 gigawatts of new coal-fired power capacity online. In 2025, Carbon Brief reported that added coal capacity did not translate into higher coal usage or emissions, due to coal were being used as energy backups, as the country deployed large amounts of renewable energy.
+Evolution of CO2 emissions by sector in China, 2000 - 2021Electricity and heat producersIndustryTransportResidentialCommercial and public servicesAgricultureUnspecified Final ConsumptionOther energy industries20001426.85904.045248.48216.84957.26847.99247.512148.35620011506.574958.838254.25216.95960.76751.39750.102154.57420021686.007996.753276.444220.34563.2656.6255.03154.47620031996.1011136.149313.144237.80270.67864.75364.277182.58720042203.9191497.944371.136265.47187.173.84467.972172.19720052373.2391935.745397.312273.59291.86883.68972.48179.46820062686.1872083.31434.811285.57198.54787.6573.249212.46720072930.6142274.395468.576291.352106.92384.96675.95240.4820082961.792409.719507.067278.806104.44281.95578.504246.68320093143.7412601.242517.074281.312110.34584.19881.099311.91220103477.5062844.073568.779297.63118.76988.04781.307354.47320113954.713004.769621.89309.302131.41492.08485.456369.40320124076.1593042.033686.126316.37140.84495.65190.286374.57320134347.3973068.123741.094329.858146.711103.24595.234395.54920144389.7633094.686770.35344.191142.556104.95592.268299.6920154266.2712995.88828.462364.732150.115108.8193.217327.49320164410.4652859.402845.356374.069149.073111.93289.865287.53820174705.7332696.33877.815384.552145.497114.40978.904329.59720185071.1842790.824950.956360.327133.548105.08566.921309.91820195238.132795.073944.372332.787127.773101.41657.667352.33120205376.5772852.616901.961338.289116.773102.11956.31308.67520215943.082832.322969.447332.81112.12199.35846.885312.513
Energy consumption According to the 2016 Chinese Statistical Yearbook published by China's National Bureau of Statistics, China's energy consumption was 430,000 (10,000 tons of Standard Coal Equivalent), including 64% coal, 18.1% crude oil, 5.9% natural gas, 12.0% primary electricity, and other energy. Since 2011, the percentage of coal has decreased, and the percentage of crude oil, natural gas, primary electricity, and other energy have increased.
China experienced an increase in electricity demand and usage in 2017 as the economy accelerated. According to the Climate Data Explorer published by World Resources Institute, China, the European Union, and the U.S. contributed to more than 50% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In 2016, China's greenhouse gas emissions accounted for 26% of total global emissions. The energy industry has been the biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions since the last decade.
Industry
In terms of industrial production, China created 1.26 Gt of greenhouse gases in 2020. Industrial production accounts for 22.76% of all China's GHG emissions in the latest Climate TRACE data for 2022.
Construction Urbanization in China increased energy consumption and emissions related to the construction industry.
Cement is estimated to be 15% of emissions but only a tenth of companies are reporting data as of 2021.
Iron and steel Steel is estimated at 15% to 20% of emissions and consolidation of the industry may help.
Transportation Transport was estimated in 2021 to be less than 10% of the country's emissions but growing.
{Trends in Electric Car Markets (2025) https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2025/trends-in-electric-car-markets-2}
Agriculture Agriculture accounts for 7.65% of China's greenhouse gas emissions in 2022.
Waste