Beijing (AFP) – China's carbon dioxide emissions fell in the third quarter of the year at the fastest rate since the Covid-19 pandemic, a think tank reported this Friday, which attributed the reduction to the effects of the war in the Middle East.

First modification: 06/11/2026 - 14:01

The emissions from the Asian giant decreased by 3.1% between July and September, according to an analysis by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) published by the publication Carbon Brief.

Severe disruptions to traffic through the crucial Strait of Hormuz have significantly affected oil shipments to China, the world's second-largest economy and top crude importer.

China's total oil consumption fell 4% compared to the same period last year, while oil use for transportation fell 9%, according to the CREA report, which cites official figures and trade data.

"It is clear that there will be some kind of rebound in oil consumption once prices go down, if they do," Lauri Myllyvirta, co-founder and principal analyst at CREA, told AFP.

Coal use also fell 3% year-on-year, despite the rapid construction of new coal plants in China.

"The fact that coal-based power maintains a downward trend is a key factor for the further development of renewable energy," said Gao Yuhe, project manager at Greenpeace East Asia based in Beijing.

"At the same time, we need to see greater adoption of and commercialization of renewable energy, as well as energy storage systems," he added.

The country has experienced explosive growth in the installation of renewable energy, and the share of coal in its energy matrix has decreased slightly in recent years.

China is the world's largest emitter, responsible for more than 30% of global greenhouse gases.

Its leaders have promised to intensify efforts to reduce CO2 emissions and boost the green transition, with the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060.

© 2026 AFP

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