Despite Record Renewable Growth, China Is Still Betting on Coal

China’s power-sector emissions fell in 2025 for the first time in a decade, but a rebound in coal-fired generation raises doubts about whether the decline will last.

By Andrew Liu
June 12, 2026
Tao Liang/Xinhua via Getty Images via Inside Climate News  
Andrew Liu
Andrew Liu is an Outrider fellow at Inside Climate News and a journalist covering climate, business and technology.


 

 
Read our newsletter
We partner with creators, thought leaders, and news organizations to explain how smart policy can sustain a safe and livable planet. Please, join us.