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Welcome to Carbon Brief’s China Briefing.

China Briefing handpicks and explains the most important climate and energy stories from China over the past fortnight. Subscribe for free here.

Key developments

Energy priorities in 2025 

XI SPEAKS: President Xi Jinping underscored China’s low-carbon technology success in his new year’s address for 2025, mentioning that China “produced more than 10m new energy vehicles” (NEVs, including electric and plug-in hybrids) in 2024, the state-run newspaper China Daily said. On 1 January, the party’s leading magazine on ideology, Qiushi, published the transcript of one of Xi’s speeches, in which he called on China to “advance an ecology-first, resource-conserving and green and low-carbon approach to development”, adding that China must “actively yet prudently work towards” its “dual carbon” goal.

PRIORITY TASKS: The national energy work conference – in which the top planning body the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Energy Administration (NEA) set objectives for the next year – was held in mid-December, according to International Energy Net. At the same meeting, the NEA set “10 key energy priorities” for the new year, including “implementing the energy law”, the Communist party-sponsored People’s Daily said in its coverage of the conference. (Read more about China’s new energy law below.) International Energy Net’s coverage reported that 2025 priorities included to “accelerate” construction of an energy system based on the need for “security and abundance” and the “economic feasibility” of low-carbon energy, as well as to vigorously promote “development and utilisation” of renewables. In a separate NDRC work conference, the body pledged to “accelerate” the shifting towards “dual-control” of carbon and “push forward carbon reduction, pollution reduction and green expansion”, Shanghai Securities News said.

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GREEN AGENDAS: Elsewhere, the Ministry of Finance (MOF)’s annual work conference emphasised financial support for “green and low-carbon transformation”, International Energy Net reported. MOF may release a 3tn yuan ($411bn) stimulus package this year that, according to Reuters, will have a large portion dedicated to electric vehicles (EVs) and “green energy”. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) work conference highlighted the need for “innovation” to “cultivate and grow emerging industries”, a category that usually includes low-carbon technology, according to a state news agency Xinhua readout.

NATIONAL NETWORK: A recent policy document issued by the NDRC urged China to build a national unified market covering a number of economic and regulatory issues, BJX News reported, including calls to build a unified energy system. The policy added that China must ensure the construction of a unified power system, as well as establishing a “fair and open” national oil and gas market system. Bloomberg explained that the initiative has been in progess for years.

Landmark law now in force 

NEW YEAR’S REGULATION: On 1 January, China’s first energy law came into force, China News reported, saying the move “helps ensure national energy security and serves as a cornerstone for promoting a green and low-carbon transition”. The law, it added, “includes hydrogen energy in national legislation for the first time, defining its role as an energy source”. China Energy Net quoted an NEA official saying the law would promote both the “development of non-fossil energy” and the ”clean and efficient use of coal”.

EXPERT VOICES: Prof Alex Wang, faculty co-director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, told Carbon Brief that, in general, Chinese law normally “consolidates” existing “successful” policy, rather than setting new policy directions. North China Electric Power University’s Prof Wang Peng wrote in China Power News Net that the law is a symbol supporting development of “explicit goals for carbon emissions and renewable energy use”, and will lead to the provision of “specific guidelines for developing” renewable energy and strengthening of “mechanisms for green energy consumption”. Industry news outlet BJX News republished a commentary by China Coal chairman Wang Shudong arguing that the law “strengthens the role of coal as a basic guarantor [of energy security]”.

Renewable energy buildout

SOLAR LEAP: China installed more than 200 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity in 2024, according to industry newspaper China Energy Net. The country installed more than 300GW of renewable energy capacity in 2024, the party-affiliated People’s Daily reported, with China’s total solar and wind capacity now standing at 840GW and 510GW, respectively. A separate NDRC and NEA policy document called for China to add more than 200GW of “new energy” each year between 2025 and 2027, at a utilisation rate of 90%, said BJX News.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY: Despite the growth of renewables, China’s power generation from fossil fuels “inched up 1.9% year-on-year” between January and November, Reuters reported. Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, wrote on Bluesky that this was likely due to a “major increase in curtailment” of wind and solar, and particularly a rise in unreported curtailment. This, he added, indicates that the “grid is struggling to integrate” new renewable capacity additions and that “official curtailment tracking seems to be prone to manipulation”.

HYDROGEN ‘AT SCALE’: Elsewhere, China Energy News reported, MIIT released a new plan for accelerating the use of hydrogen in China’s industry, calling for the country to have “clean and low-carbon hydrogen to be applied at scale” by 2027 in areas including certain metals and coal-chemical industries. It added that China will also aim to use hydrogen for “industrial green microgrids, ships, aviation [and] rail transport”.

MEGADAM: Separately, China has approved “construction of what will be the world’s largest hydropower dam” along a river in Tibet, according to Reuters. The newswire added that the project “could produce 300 terawatt hours of electricity annually” – equivalent to the UK’s total annual demand – but could also “affect millions downstream in India and Bangladesh”. A Bloomberg commentary by columnist David Fickling said that the dam, despite its size, would be “simply too small to move the needle” on China’s “insatiable appetite for coal”.

Driving the economy 

HOLIDAY SPLURGE: According to finance news outlet Yicai, Chinese EV giant BYD sold 4.3m vehicles in 2024. An end-of-year surge in EV purchases occurred in China due to the “nationwide buying spree” ahead of the end of a consumer goods trade-in policy that subsidised consumers’ replacement of petrol cars with EVs, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported. The January sales have already slowed down, said China Consumer Journal. Nevertheless, the Financial Times predicted that in 2025 EVs could, for the first time, “outsell” traditional fuel cars in China, with domestic EV sales expected to exceed 12m cars compared to less than 11m for petrol cars.

GROWTH SUPPORT: The government has subsequently “renewed a trade-in subsidy of up to 20,000 yuan ($2,730)” for EVs and hybrid cars, Bloomberg said. The People’s Daily reported that China will ensure that EVs make up “no less than 30%” of government car purchases “in principle”. Meanwhile, a draft proposal “restricting the export of technologies used in the production of lithium-ion batteries” has been issued, business newspaper Caixin said, which, if adopted, could “further cement China’s dominance” in the sector. A new discovery of large lithium reserves in Tibet has made China the “world’s second-largest holder” of the metal behind Chile, according to SCMP.

OVERCAPACITY: Separately, SCMP cited a prominent Chinese policymaker suggesting China should take action to abate “involution” – unnecessary internal competition – that is currently affecting several industries, including solar. The People’s Daily also carried a commentary on economic growth with the byline “benbao pinglunyuan” (本报评论员), meaning it was written by “top staff” and represents views at senior levels of the Communist party. It also asked local policymakers to stop “involution” by “not only focusing on the new three” of solar, batteries and EVs.

Captured

China emitted 11.6bn tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2021, according to the country’s first biennial transparency report, which was submitted to the UN in early January. The report follows new reporting rules under the Paris Agreement, which require more regular and more timely information on emissions and progress towards tackling them. China had previously only reported its greenhouse gas inventory up to 2017.

Spotlight 

Experts: What will 2025 bring for China’s energy and climate policy?

Last year was significant for energy and climate developments in China. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions growth hovered close to 2023 levels throughout the year, raising the possibility of China’s CO2 emissions peaking before 2030. On the global stage, China played a prominent role in getting to an agreement at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Entering 2025, China has pledged to accelerate its energy transition. In this issue, Carbon Brief asks leading experts what they are watching for from China over the year ahead. Their responses have been edited for length and clarity. A full-length version of the article is available on the Carbon Brief website.

Dr Muyi Yang, senior electricity policy analyst for China, Ember

In 2025, China will need to strike a delicate balance between sustaining economic growth and advancing its decarbonisation agenda. This balancing act will require more than just scaling up renewables such as wind, solar and energy storage – coal power, which has long been central to China’s energy security and economic activity, also requires a major transformation.

This is not simply about shuttering a handful of coal-fired power plants, but managing the broader tensions and conflicts arising from the decline of the coal-electricity ecosystem. The impacts will extend to power generators, logistics companies, mining firms, equipment manufacturers and the coal-chemical industry, along with the socio-economic systems built around them. As China approaches a critical turning point – envisioning the start of absolute coal consumption reductions during the next five-year plan period – it must begin planning for this transition now.

Prof Boqiang Lin, dean, China Institute for Studies in Energy Policy

In 2025, China’s energy and climate developments will focus on advancing its “dual-carbon” goals through several key initiatives. The deployment of “new energy” will accelerate, with offshore wind power, distributed solar and decentralised wind power seeing significant growth…Efforts to promote the “clean and efficient use” of coal will also progress, with coal power continuing to support the significant growth in wind and solar power.

Energy storage technologies and the development of smart grids will expand, while development of virtual power plants and large-scale vehicle-to-grid pilots will enhance grid efficiency and energy interaction. The supporting infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) will also receive more attention to support the rapid increase in EV penetration.

Dr Ilaria Mazzocco, deputy director and senior fellow with the trustee chair in Chinese business and economics, Center for Strategic & International Studies

What I’m looking out for is how China manages its increasingly tense external commercial relations and the growing demand internationally for Chinese foreign direct investment. Clean technologies, particularly the “new three” of solar, lithium-ion batteries and EVs, are at the heart of this tension.

The brewing global conflict over the future of climate technology manufacturing and trade will depend in no small part on developments in the industries in China, including domestic demand and profitability of Chinese firms. Just as important are the types of trade-offs and deals that China’s trade partners, including the US, will lean towards [in their China policy going forward].

Dr Angel Hsu, associate professor of public policy and environment, ecology and energy, University of North Carolina

I am enthusiastic about the prospects for continued subnational cooperation between China and the US in climate and energy policies, especially following the strong interest shown at COP29. The numerous technical exchanges between states like Washington and the Chinese delegation…are promising developments. Plans are already in place to sustain this dialogue into 2025, building on the progress made this past year.

I am particularly eager to see how third-party countries and regions can serve as neutral grounds for collaboration. With the US likely stepping back from climate engagement, there’s a significant opportunity for increased alignment between China and ASEAN [the Association of Southeast Asian Nations], for example. China’s proactive approach at COP29, especially regarding voluntary climate financing, positions it well to lead in supporting south-east Asian nations in their decarbonisation efforts.

Dr Christoph Nedopil, director and professor of economics, Griffith Asia Institute

For 2025, China’s engagement in green energy will likely flourish in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), driven by the growing energy transition needs of partner countries. In Indonesia, for instance, president Prabowo’s accelerated green energy plan announced in December 2024 and newly signed agreements with China highlight the role of targeted collaboration with China in addressing local energy priorities. This includes investments not only in renewable energy, but also in critical technologies such as battery manufacturing.

I also hope we can make progress on three challenges: first, simultaneously accelerating investment in low-carbon energy and phase-down investment in fossil fuels; second, helping local employees benefit more from the green energy transition, particularly with more western trade restrictions; and, third, how can we accelerate greening of industrial and captive energy in the BRI.

Watch, read, listen

WHO’S NEXT?: A commentary in Jiemian listed the challenges various industries face when entering the national carbon market in China.

MUSHROOMING POWER: David Fishman, senior manager at the Lantau Group, spoke to the Odd Lots podcast about the levers behind China’s rapid buildout of nuclear power.

SHOW ME THE MONEY: A new report co-authored by Ma Jun, president of the Beijing-based Institute of Finance and Sustainability for the CFA Institute, examined how one Chinese city used innovative finance mechanisms to decarbonise its heavy industry.

DECEMBER DEBRIEF: Caixin published an English version of its interview with Chinese climate envoy Liu Zhenmin, covering China’s view of the COP29 climate finance commitment, its future climate targets and China’s role in future climate negotiations.


10.92

In Celsius, the average temperature in China in 2024, which was the “warmest year on record, according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA)”, China Daily reported. It added that “global warming is the primary reason for China recording above-average temperatures”, with China’s previous four years being the country’s “top four warmest years” since records began in 1961.


New science 

China’s current carbon inequality is predominantly determined by capital disparity
Ecological Economics

The top 20% of China’s urban residents by income, who account for nearly 10% of the country’s population, are responsible for 33% of the country’s investment-related carbon emissions, a new study has found. Meanwhile, the lowest 20% of rural residents, who comprise 8.6% of the total population, contribute only 2% of these emissions, it said. The authors stated that most existing literature on China’s carbon inequality has “primarily concentrated on the inequality of household consumption-related emissions” while overlooking emissions related to investment. The paper’s findings, they add, suggest that emissions reduction efforts “should focus on the capital/investment of high-income groups”.

Carbon dioxide emissions from industrial processes and product use are a non-ignorable factor in China’s mitigation

Communications Earth & Environment 

China’s CO2 emissions from industrial processes and product use (IPPU) exceeded 1,600m tonnes in 2020, according to new research. This estimate is 3.0-6.5% higher than estimates from other studies, according to the authors. The figure was reached using statistics taken from “18 industrial productions and two product uses” between 2000 and 2020. The study also identified a number of areas that could be key to mitigating IPPU emissions in future.

China Briefing is compiled by Wanyuan Song and Anika Patel. It is edited by Wanyuan Song and Dr Simon Evans. Please send tips and feedback to china@carbonbrief.org

The post China Briefing 9 January 2025: 2025 government priorities; China’s first energy law; What to watch in year ahead appeared first on Carbon Brief.

China Briefing 9 January 2025: 2025 government priorities; China’s first energy law; What to watch in year ahead

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DeBriefed 15 August 2025: Raging wildfires; Xi’s priorities; Factchecking the Trump climate report

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Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. 
An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change.

This week

Blazing heat hits Europe

FANNING THE FLAMES: Wildfires “fanned by a heatwave and strong winds” caused havoc across southern Europe, Reuters reported. It added: “Fire has affected nearly 440,000 hectares (1,700 square miles) in the eurozone so far in 2025, double the average for the same period of the year since 2006.” Extreme heat is “breaking temperature records across Europe”, the Guardian said, with several countries reporting readings of around 40C.

HUMAN TOLL: At least three people have died in the wildfires erupting across Spain, Turkey and Albania, France24 said, adding that the fires have “displaced thousands in Greece and Albania”. Le Monde reported that a child in Italy “died of heatstroke”, while thousands were evacuated from Spain and firefighters “battled three large wildfires” in Portugal.

UK WILDFIRE RISK: The UK saw temperatures as high as 33.4C this week as England “entered its fourth heatwave”, BBC News said. The high heat is causing “nationally significant” water shortfalls, it added, “hitting farms, damaging wildlife and increasing wildfires”. The Daily Mirror noted that these conditions “could last until mid-autumn”. Scientists warn the UK faces possible “firewaves” due to climate change, BBC News also reported.

Around the world

  • GRID PRESSURES: Iraq suffered a “near nationwide blackout” as elevated power demand – due to extreme temperatures of around 50C – triggered a transmission line failure, Bloomberg reported.
  • ‘DIRE’ DOWN UNDER: The Australian government is keeping a climate risk assessment that contains “dire” implications for the continent “under wraps”, the Australian Financial Review said.
  • EXTREME RAINFALL: Mexico City is “seeing one of its heaviest rainy seasons in years”, the Washington Post said. Downpours in the Japanese island of Kyushu “caused flooding and mudslides”, according to Politico. In Kashmir, flash floods killed 56 and left “scores missing”, the Associated Press said.
  • SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION: China and Brazil agreed to “ensure the success” of COP30 in a recent phone call, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported.
  • PLASTIC ‘DEADLOCK’: Talks on a plastic pollution treaty have failed again at a summit in Geneva, according to the Guardian, with countries “deadlocked” on whether it should include “curbs on production and toxic chemicals”.

15

The number of times by which the most ethnically-diverse areas in England are more likely to experience extreme heat than its “least diverse” areas, according to new analysis by Carbon Brief.


Latest climate research

  • As many as 13 minerals critical for low-carbon energy may face shortages under 2C pathways | Nature Climate Change
  • A “scoping review” examined the impact of climate change on poor sexual and reproductive health and rights in sub-Saharan Africa | PLOS One
  • A UK university cut the carbon footprint of its weekly canteen menu by 31% “without students noticing” | Nature Food

(For more, see Carbon Brief’s in-depth daily summaries of the top climate news stories on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.)

Captured

Factchecking Trump’s climate report

A report commissioned by the US government to justify rolling back climate regulations contains “at least 100 false or misleading statements”, according to a Carbon Brief factcheck involving dozens of leading climate scientists. The report, compiled in two months by five hand-picked researchers, inaccurately claims that “CO2-induced warming might be less damaging economically than commonly believed” and misleadingly states that “excessively aggressive [emissions] mitigation policies could prove more detrimental than beneficial”80

Spotlight

Does Xi Jinping care about climate change?

This week, Carbon Brief unpacks new research on Chinese president Xi Jinping’s policy priorities.

On this day in 2005, Xi Jinping, a local official in eastern China, made an unplanned speech when touring a small village – a rare occurrence in China’s highly-choreographed political culture.

In it, he observed that “lucid waters and lush mountains are mountains of silver and gold” – that is, the environment cannot be sacrificed for the sake of growth.

(The full text of the speech is not available, although Xi discussed the concept in a brief newspaper column – see below – a few days later.)

In a time where most government officials were laser-focused on delivering economic growth, this message was highly unusual.

Forward-thinking on environment

As a local official in the early 2000s, Xi endorsed the concept of “green GDP”, which integrates the value of natural resources and the environment into GDP calculations.

He also penned a regular newspaper column, 22 of which discussed environmental protection – although “climate change” was never mentioned.

This focus carried over to China’s national agenda when Xi became president.

New research from the Asia Society Policy Institute tracked policies in which Xi is reported by state media to have “personally” taken action.

It found that environmental protection is one of six topics in which he is often said to have directly steered policymaking.

Such policies include guidelines to build a “Beautiful China”, the creation of an environmental protection inspection team and the “three-north shelterbelt” afforestation programme.

“It’s important to know what Xi’s priorities are because the top leader wields outsized influence in the Chinese political system,” Neil Thomas, Asia Society Policy Institute fellow and report co-author, told Carbon Brief.

Local policymakers are “more likely” to invest resources in addressing policies they know have Xi’s attention, to increase their chances for promotion, he added.

What about climate and energy?

However, the research noted, climate and energy policies have not been publicised as bearing Xi’s personal touch.

“I think Xi prioritises environmental protection more than climate change because reducing pollution is an issue of social stability,” Thomas said, noting that “smoggy skies and polluted rivers” were more visible and more likely to trigger civil society pushback than gradual temperature increases.

The paper also said topics might not be linked to Xi personally when they are “too technical” or “politically sensitive”.

For example, Xi’s landmark decision for China to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 is widely reported as having only been made after climate modelling – facilitated by former climate envoy Xie Zhenhua – showed that this goal was achievable.

Prior to this, Xi had never spoken publicly about carbon neutrality.

Prof Alex Wang, a University of California, Los Angeles professor of law not involved in the research, noted that emphasising Xi’s personal attention may signal “top” political priorities, but not necessarily Xi’s “personal interests”.

By not emphasising climate, he said, Xi may be trying to avoid “pushing the system to overprioritise climate to the exclusion of the other priorities”.

There are other ways to know where climate ranks on the policy agenda, Thomas noted:

“Climate watchers should look at what Xi says, what Xi does and what policies Xi authorises in the name of the ‘central committee’. Is Xi talking more about climate? Is Xi establishing institutions and convening meetings that focus on climate? Is climate becoming a more prominent theme in top-level documents?”

Watch, read, listen

TRUMP EFFECT: The Columbia Energy Exchange podcast examined how pressure from US tariffs could affect India’s clean energy transition.

NAMIBIAN ‘DESTRUCTION’: The National Observer investigated the failure to address “human rights abuses and environmental destruction” claims against a Canadian oil company in Namibia.

‘RED AI’: The Network for the Digital Economy and the Environment studied the state of current research on “Red AI”, or the “negative environmental implications of AI”.

Coming up

Pick of the jobs

DeBriefed is edited by Daisy Dunne. Please send any tips or feedback to debriefed@carbonbrief.org.

This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s weekly DeBriefed email newsletter. Subscribe for free here.

The post DeBriefed 15 August 2025: Raging wildfires; Xi’s priorities; Factchecking the Trump climate report appeared first on Carbon Brief.

DeBriefed 15 August 2025: Raging wildfires; Xi’s priorities; Factchecking the Trump climate report

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New York Already Denied Permits to These Gas Pipelines. Under Trump, They Could Get Greenlit

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The specter of a “gas-for-wind” compromise between the governor and the White House is drawing the ire of residents as a deadline looms.

Hundreds of New Yorkers rallied against new natural gas pipelines in their state as a deadline loomed for the public to comment on a revived proposal to expand the gas pipeline that supplies downstate New York.

New York Already Denied Permits to These Gas Pipelines. Under Trump, They Could Get Greenlit

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Factcheck: Trump’s climate report includes more than 100 false or misleading claims

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A “critical assessment” report commissioned by the Trump administration to justify a rollback of US climate regulations contains at least 100 false or misleading statements, according to a Carbon Brief factcheck involving dozens of leading climate scientists.

The report – “A critical review of impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on the US climate” – was published by the US Department of Energy (DoE) on 23 July, just days before the government laid out plans to revoke a scientific finding used as the legal basis for emissions regulation.

The executive summary of the controversial report inaccurately claims that “CO2-induced warming might be less damaging economically than commonly believed”.

It also states misleadingly that “excessively aggressive [emissions] mitigation policies could prove more detrimental than beneficial”.

Compiled in just two months by five “independent” researchers hand-selected by the climate-sceptic US secretary of energy Chris Wright, the document has sparked fierce criticism from climate scientists, who have pointed to factual errors, misrepresentation of research, messy citations and the cherry-picking of data.

Experts have also noted the authors’ track record of promoting views at odds with the mainstream understanding of climate science.

Wright’s department claims the report – which is currently open to public comment as part of a 30-day review – underwent an “internal peer-review period amongst [the] DoE’s scientific research community”.

The report is designed to provide a scientific underpinning to one flank of the Trump administration’s plans to rescind a finding that serves as the legal prerequisite for federal emissions regulation. (The second flank is about legal authority to regulate emissions.)

The “endangerment finding” – enacted by the Obama administration in 2009 – states that six greenhouse gases are contributing to the net-negative impacts of climate change and, thus, put the public in danger.

In a press release on 29 July, the US Environmental Protection Agency said “updated studies and information” set out in the new report would “challenge the assumptions” of the 2009 finding.

Carbon Brief asked a wide range of climate scientists, including those cited in the “critical review” itself, to factcheck the report’s various claims and statements.

The post Factcheck: Trump’s climate report includes more than 100 false or misleading claims appeared first on Carbon Brief.

https://www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-trumps-climate-report-includes-more-than-100-false-or-misleading-claims/

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