Researchers say that China is off track in its emissions targets as the energy demand offsets the renewables push.
Researchers said that despite rapid advances in renewable energy and electric vehicles, China's carbon dioxide emissions are expected to increase slightly this year. This puts a 2025 climate goal further out of reach.
In its annual report, the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, or CREA, stated that China aims to reduce the amount of CO2 produced per unit of economic development by 18% between 2021 and 2025. However, it has fallen further behind due to the rising energy demand this year.
CREA estimates that China will need to reduce emissions by 6% between 2024 and 2025 in order to catch up. However, they expect them to increase by 0.4% more by 2024. Therefore, radical measures are needed to reach the goal next year.
CREA reported that while CO2 emissions from the rapidly growing coal-to chemicals industry have increased by 12.5%, progress has been made to curb new steel and coal fired power capacity.
The Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
The largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world is working on a set of new climate targets, known as "nationally defined contributions", that it must submit to United Nations by February.
The United States, among others, have pushed it to make substantial cuts before 2035.
CREA reported that while 44% of the experts surveyed by CREA believed China's carbon emissions had peaked, there is still room for growth before 2030. A new package of economic stimuli measures announced in September will likely spur growth in sectors with high carbon intensity, CREA stated.
China has not revealed any details of its new pledges. However, an influential think tank that is part of the state-run government said in October it would encourage China to set its first absolute carbon emissions reduction target for 2035.
Lauri Myllyvirta is the CREA's chief analyst. She said, "The current thinking about emission targets for the coming decade is conservative."
Setting an absolute goal is not progress in itself. The level of the goal is what matters. (Reporting and editing by Christopher Cushing; Reporting by David Stanway)
(source: Reuters)
