COP26 - How China became the world's largest climate polluter

Till the early 2000s, the US, EU, UK, Russia, Australia, Canada and Japan dominated global emissions.

And then China became a factory for the world and that changed everything.

The state of global emissions shifted significantly from the time China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. Between 1990 and 2019, China increased its share of global CO2 emissions from 5.11 per cent to 20.72 per cent.

And today China is the world’s largest polluter with a whopping 10.17 gigatonnes (Gt) of CO2 emitted in 2019 alone. This is roughly 28 percent of the world’s total emissions that year.

So what does all this mean for the rest of the world?

According to an analysis by Down To Earth and the Centre for Science and Environment in Delhi, China will emit another 126 Gt of CO2 and occupy 30 percent of the remaining carbon
budget for this decade.

And because it has not set a quantifiable target for reduction*, its emissions are expected to grow further.
*China’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) is based on carbon intensity reduction

One of the reasons to account for this astonishing rise in emission is because China is the world’s manufacturing hub. The country is producing industrial and consumer goods used by most countries of the free world and this accounts for a lot of emissions.
But if the carbon accounting was done based on the consumption of goods then China’s share in emissions would actually go down, which is an inconvenient truth about international trade.

But the main reason for China’s gigantic leap in emissions is due to the country's over-dependency on Coal.

In September 2020, President Xi Jinping announced that China will “aim to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060”.

He also insisted that China will no longer build coal-fired power projects abroad. However, he was conveniently silent about the coal-fired power plants in his country.

And even though there is no doubt that China’s announcement to halt the building of new coal power plants abroad is significant, China’s own domestic coal consumption is equally gargantuan.

The country still runs over half of the world’s operating coal fleet, which is growing.
In 2020, 60.75 per cent of China’s electricity came from coal.

And so, despite all the talk about China’s massive investments in renewable energy, their goal for carbon neutrality will be unachievable unless it curbs its growing coal power production.

As the new global superpower and polluter, China’s emissions will have a significant impact on the world’s ability to achieve its climate goals. China needs to make careful yet quick decisions over the next decade to drastically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

[xuhanv]

Should compare emission per capita, accumulated emission in recent 100 years.

[replica]

(our icereserve is running low)
the wind always blow off-shore
in deserts solar panels give shade and shelter to crop and animals
-if you can't put solar panels on your roof and parking lot make roof top meadows for grazing animals (when possible sun rays absorb as chemical/organic processes)

[joei]

China also held the world highest tree planting, number one in renewable energy, world leading in innovative recycling and renewable energy.

China tops in carbon emission due being a developed country with 1.4 billion people, also being the “world factory” where western companies set their major factories at. They are ranked 15 in carbon emission per capita, at 6.59, while US is 15.53, Canada at 18.63 and Qatar at a astonishing 37.29. Measuring in tons.

[bulletkingaming]

A lot of Chinese Propagandists in the comments.

[biggerinfinity]

so what exactly should china do to contain the situation then? why no one proposes any solution? all the world today is doing is to blame china and india for their emissions

[CC-lqst]

China has the 2nd largest GDP in the world....China haters: but look at their GDP per capita, it's only has the largest carbon emissions in the world....Me: but look at their CO2 emission per capita...it's only at 7 compared to the US 15.5....average Chinese citizens leave a much lower carbon footprint compared to the citizens of other developed countries

[bobcharles]

China is not the world's largest polluter not by population. The title still goes to the US by twice as much!

[padtag]

China clean energy 23%; US 12%. Per capita US pollution doubles. Get your title right

[crypton_l]

DTE too chicken to take on stubble burning 🔥 as the leading cause for toxic air in Delhi 😆