China and climate change

China is a pivotal player in international climate action. On one hand, its enormous industrial base makes it the single largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world — responsible for well over a quarter of global emissions, far more than any other country. On the other hand, China has become a world leader in deploying clean technology.

The world's largest emitter

China emits more than a quarter of global CO₂ — on the order of 12 billion tonnes in recent years — by a wide margin the most of any nation. Yet because the country is the world's most populous, with around 1.4 billion people, its emissions per person are lower than those of many industrialised nations. That combination of scale and population is a large part of why China is so central to global climate work.

A leader in clean technology

China has invested heavily in sustainable development in recent years — shifting its economic model, developing new transport systems and pursuing sustainable urbanisation, including pilot projects for purpose-built “eco-cities.” Some of these projects have drawn criticism for taking land from rural communities and limiting traditional farming.

According to the World Economic Forum, China has moved its economy away from total dependence on high-emission industry toward lower emissions, with many coal plants replaced by renewables. Even so, coal still dominates the energy supply. The country's vast energy demand also puts pressure on natural areas for minerals — for solar panels, for example — and its expansion of hydropower has been criticised for blocking water flows to large parts of South Asia, which can cause water shortages and drought.

Transport and electric vehicles

China has built the world's largest high-speed rail network and is investing heavily in electric vehicles. A large and rising share of new vehicles sold is expected to be electric, supported by policies that require manufacturers to make a growing percentage of their output electric. Because China is the world's biggest car market, the effect of these policies is enormous.

Source: Our World in Data — China CO₂ country profile