China’s CO2 emissions fell in the third quarter for the first time since the country reopened after the Covid-19 shutdown, research published on Thursday showed. The year shows, what experts say could mark a “turning point” for the country.
Research by the Center for Clean Air and Energy Research (CREA) warns that the risk of an economic slowdown could soon lead authorities to turn to measures to stimulate infrastructure, increasing emissions. once again.
The world’s second-largest economy has vowed to hit peak emissions by 2030 and be carbon-neutral by 2060 – but authorities have struggled to detox the country from dependence. dependent on fossil fuels.
China’s emissions fell dramatically in early 2020 due to sweeping quarantines aimed at curbing the coronavirus, then rebounded to 2019 monthly highs as cities and factories reopened. return.
But in the third quarter of this year, the country recorded a 0.5% year-on-year decline in emissions from fossil fuels and cement – the first quarterly decline since the post-lockdown recovery. machine, said CREA analyst Lauri Myllyvirta.
The drop was attributed to a drop in construction activity after Beijing cracked down on speculation and debt in the property sector, as well as high coal prices that led to a nationwide distribution of electricity, Myllyvirta said. .
“The reduction in emissions could mark a turning point and early peak in China’s total emissions, years before the target of peaking before 2030,” Myllyvirta said in its report.
But he warned that “if the Chinese government ramps up construction stimulus to boost its economy, emissions could rise again, before peaking later this decade.”
According to Myllyvirta, while the coal crisis is “caused by soaring coal consumption and price-control policies”, there is a domestic perception that the transition to cleaner energy is the likely cause for North Kinh is hesitant to ramp up climate targets until the coal crisis is fully resolved, Myllyvirta added.
The recent COP26 climate summit has pushed China’s climate commitments into the spotlight, with critics accusing the world’s biggest polluter of not being ambitious enough in its goals. its emissions.
Communist leaders also face domestic pressure to stem an economic slowdown, making authorities reluctant to introduce specific emissions-cutting measures.
Earlier this month, northern regions of the country were heavily polluted after China said it had increased daily coal production by more than a million tons to ease energy shortages.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and was automatically generated from the feed provided.)
