China’s CO₂ Emissions Fall 3.1% as Oil Use Drops

China’s carbon dioxide emissions fell 3.1% in the third quarter, as crude oil consumption declined 4% and transport fuel use dropped 9%, according to the Finnish climate research group Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), as cited by Reuters.

Money Talk·November 6, 2026·reads: 302

China’s CO₂ Emissions Fall 3.1% as Oil Use Drops

Coal consumption was down 3.3% in the same period, CREA reported. Wind and solar curtailment—the wasting of power that cannot be used—also fell. CREA analysts said the emissions decline extended a “flat or falling” trend that began in March 2024 and had lasted more than two years.

In a separate assessment, CREA said China reduced oil and gas imports during the war in the Middle East, using more wind and solar power to help fill the gap. The group estimated that lower imports saved China $9.1 billion between March and August.

China has also drawn on its crude oil inventories since the Iran war pushed oil prices above $100 a barrel. The country, the world’s biggest crude importer, used supplies from its 1.3-billion-barrel stockpile for most months after March while cutting imports as prices surged.

Those inventory draws and lower imports in spring and summer helped keep benchmark crude prices in check despite major disruptions to Middle East oil flows, the article said. CREA’s figures indicate that China’s reduced energy use was substantial enough to lower emissions even with its large oil stocks.