Lauri Myllyvirta

Built World

Active; author of the third-quarter 2026 analysis

China's carbon dioxide emissions fell 3.1% in the third quarter of 2026 from a year earlier, the largest quarterly drop since the 2022 Covid lockdowns. Coal-fired power generation fell 3.3% and transport oil use fell 9%.

Updated 1 hour ago

Built World

As of August 2026: Tracks China's power and emissions data

For as long as China has had a modern power grid, coal has generated most of its electricity. In the first half of 2026, that ended. Coal supplied 49.7% of China's power, dropping below half for the first time.

Updated Aug 6

Built World

As of May 2026: Principal researcher tracking China's emissions trends

China's CO2 emissions fell 1% in the first half of 2025, extending an 18-month plateau that began in March 2024. For the first time, clean power generation—not economic slowdown—has driven emissions down in the world's largest polluter. The peak may finally be structural rather than cyclical.

Updated May 19