China’s falling emissions amid Iran war spark hope of decarbonisation watershed

An aquaculture-photovoltaic hybrid project in Fengdu County, China. Clean energy use cushioned the price shocks caused . Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock View image in fullscreen An aquaculture-photovoltaic hybrid project in Fengdu County, China. Clean energy use cushioned the price shocks caused . Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock China’s falling emissions amid Iran war spark hope of decarbonisation watershed Oil consumption plummets and EV sales soar as analysts say demand may not fully return even if crude price falls China’s carbon dioxide emissions fell by 1% after the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran, thanks to a sharp reduction in oil consumption and a steady rise in the use of electric vehicles and public transport, analysis shows. The report reveals the role of clean energy in cushioning the price shocks caused ’s biggest oil importer. It also reinforces hopes that China, which is the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, may be nearing a turning point in decarbonising its economy. China was able to increase overall transportation use, despite cutting oil imports by 32%, according to second-quarter energy data reported ’s National Bureau of Statistics and analysed for Carbon Brief . The reduction – equivalent to about a million barrels a day – from the world’s biggest petro-customer helped to stabilise global oil prices, which nevertheless surged by about 60% in the weeks and months after the first US airstrikes in late February. How that was achieved has been the subject of considerable speculation. The analysis indicates that about two-thirds of the fall in imports came from running down, rather than building up, strategic oil stockpiles. The remaining third was largely covered by a reduction in demand. View image in fullscreen Wind turbines on the Yellow Sea coast of Yancheng, China. Photograph: Alex Plavevski/EPAThe country’s use of oil fell by 9% overall and by 16% for transport. While large numbers of petrol and diesel vehicles stayed off the roads, there was a surge in journeys , buses, trains and trucks. This electrifying trend had begun long before the strait of Hormuz crisis. China is ’s biggest manufacturer, user and exporter of batteries, e-vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels. The disruption of oil supplies from the Gulf has strengthened the economic and strategic imperative of reducing petro-dependence. In the first half of 2026, China’s shift towards electric vehicles displaced the equivalent of the UK’s entire oil consumption over a six-month period. skip past promotion after promotion China has been preparing for a global energy crisis for years.