China is the worldâs most populous nation and largest current emitter of greenhouse gases.
How â and, crucially, when â this vast, complex nation fully decarbonises its surging economy is one of the great questions of our age. No matter where you live on the planet, Chinaâs efforts to tackle climate change affect us all.
This is why Carbon Brief is now sending, on Thursdays, a free fortnightly email newsletter , which rounds up all the need-to-know information about climate and energy in China from the past fourteen days.
Every day, our China team trawls the media â both inside China and out â looking for the latest developments relating to climate change. This already feeds into our Daily Briefing media digest, but now also helps to shape our fortnightly China Briefing, too.
The fortnightly China Briefing email provides the context behind the headlines, something that is essential when trying to assess the true significance of, say, a turn of phrase by a Chinese politician.
And the email also includes the most interesting new studies we find in our daily search of peer-reviewed science journals.
Finally, the China Briefing email highlights some âextra readingâ â links to articles about China that weâve enjoyed.
Expert analysis direct to your inbox.
Get a round-up of all the important articles and papers selected by Carbon Brief by email. Find out more about our newsletters here .
Get a round-up of all the important articles and papers selected by Carbon Brief by email. Find out more about our newsletters here .
Past issues
You can find all of the previous issues of China Briefing belowâŚ
China Briefing 9 July 2026: Guangxi floods | âBeautiful Chinaâ plan | New EU-China mechanism 9 July 2026
China Briefing 25 June 2026: Five-year plans passed | Critical-mineral tensions | Industrial decarbonisation plan 25 June 2026
China Briefing 11 June 2026: Tech clampdown | Extreme weather | Provincesâ energy plans 11 June 2026
China Briefing 28 May 2026: Deadly rains | China pushes back | Examining Chinaâs carbon intensity metric 28 May 2026
China Briefing 30 April 2026: Fossil fuel âstrict controlsâ | El NiĂąo approaches | Why cleantech exports have surged 30 April 2026
China Briefing 16 April 2026: Billions for grid | Petrochemical plan | Chinaâs high-seas bid 16 April 2026
China Briefing 2 April 2026: EV profits rise | Ming Yang rejected | Iran war 2 April 2026
China Briefing 19 March 2026: China joins nuclear pledge | Energy approach âvindicatedâ | New ecological code 19 March 2026
China Briefing 5 March 2026: New five-year climate goals revealed at âtwo sessionsâ meeting 5 March 2026
China Briefing 19 February 2026: CO2 emissions âflat or fallingâ | First tariff lifted | Ma Jun on carbon data 19 February 2026
China Briefing 5 February 2026: Clean energyâs share of economy | Record renewables | Thawing relations with UK 5 February 2026
China Briefing 22 January 2026: 2026 priorities; EV agreement; How China uses gas 22 January 2026
China Briefing 11 December 2025: Winter record looms; Joint climate statement with France; How âmid-level bureaucratsâ help shape policy 11 December 2025
China Briefing 27 November 2025: COP30 wraps; Climate and critical minerals at G20; Coal use up 27 November 2025
China Briefing 13 November 2025: COP30 special 13 November 2025
China Briefing 30 October 2025: 15th âfive-year planâ priorities; 2035 wind goal; âVehicle-to-gridâ tech 30 October 2025
China Briefing 16 October 2025: New export controls; IEA China projections; Provincial âDoc 136â progress 16 October 2025
China Briefing 2 October 2025: Chinaâs new pledge; electricity demand slows; steel overcapacity 2 October 2025
China Briefing 18 September 2025: MEE on the move; AI and energy; BRICS and climate   18 September 2025
China Briefing 4 September 2025: Shanghai cooperation summit; ETS âabsolute emissions capâ; Chinaâs heatwave adaptation 4 September 2025
China Briefing 21 August 2025: Chinaâs CO2 decline; âTwo mountainsâ; Chinaâs cement challenge 21 August 2025
China Briefing 7 August 2025: Deadly floods; âIndustrial Cthulhuâ; Higher solar forecast 7 August 2025
China Briefing 24 July 2025: EU-China climate statement; Worldâs largest megadam; Clean-tech exports 24 July 2025
China Briefing 10 July 2025: New sector targets; Overcapacity dressing-down; Adaptation scorecard   10 July 2025
China Briefing 26 June 2025: First UK-China climate dialogue; China-climate conference summary; Oil peak âin 2027â Â Â Â 26 June 2025
China Briefing 12 June 2025: Critical mineral exports; Electricity price; Coal âcapacity paymentâ 12 June 2025
China Briefing 29 May 2025: The âShenzen modelâ; Record solar growth; NDRC rejected industrial ârat raceâ 29 May 2025
China Briefing 15 May 2025: CO2 emissions fall; Drought affects food production; Climate diplomacy at CELACÂ 15 May 2025
China Briefing 1 May 2025: Xi steadfast on climate; Solar and wind surpassed thermal power; Controlling short-term GHGs 1 May 2025
China Briefing 17 April 2025: US-China tariff war; AI and data centres; Coal construction âtill 2027â 17 April 2025
China Briefing 3 April 2025: Solar exports; Carbon market expansion; Leadersâ climate commitments 3 April 2025
China Briefing 20 March 2025: Miliband in China; âTwo newâ promoted; âTwo sessionsâ ended 20 March 2025
China Briefing 6 March 2025: âTwo sessionsâ climate news; New vice-minister; Targets missed 6 March 2025
China Briefing 20 February 2025: Missed climate deadline; Clean-techâs economic contribution; New renewables pricing system 20 February 2025
China Briefing 6 February 2025: Emissions halt; âGreenâ Asian Winter Games; US-China tariff war 6 February 2025
China Briefing 23 January 2025: Chinaâs climate âconcernâ over Trump; Peak oil debate; Chinaâs energy storage lead 23 January 2025
China Briefing 9 January 2025: 2025 government priorities; Chinaâs first energy law; What to watch in year ahead 9 January 2025
China Briefing 12 December 2024: Export controls; Carbon concentration figures; âWar on sandâ 12 December 2024
China Briefing 28 November 2024: How China approached COP29; Xi cuts energy deals in South America; Solarâs âdisorderlyâ expansion 28 November 2024
China Briefing 14 November 2024: COP29 special edition 14 November 2024
China Briefing 31 October 2024: Q3 emissions; EUâs EV tariff in effect; NDC expectations 31 October 2024
China Briefing 17 October 2024: Chinaâs electrification to disrupt oil; High-level environment meeting; Aligning Chinaâs population and climate policies 17 October 2024
China Briefing 3 October 2024: New coal guideline; Less oil consumption; âGreenâ hydrogen 3 October 2024
China Briefing 19 September 2024: ETS expansion; Oil demand peak; Back-to-back typhoons 19 September 2024
China Briefing 5 September 2024: âEnergy transitionâ white paper; Steel permits âpausedâ; Chinaâs investment in Africa 5 September 2024
China Briefing 22 August 2024: âGroundbreakingâ guidelines for âgreen transitionâ ; Coal plant approvals âdrop sharplyâ; Methane emissions from abandoned coal mines 22 August 2024
China Briefing 8 August 2024: Record extreme weather; First quarterly CO2 fall since Covid; âDual controlâ of carbon emissions 8 August 2024
China Briefing 25 July 2024: âThird plenumâ outcomes; âLow-carbonâ coal plants; EU probes wind subsidies 25 July 2024
China Briefing 11 July 2024: âWartimeâ flooding emergency; EU tariff impact; Record-low coal share 11 July 2024
China Briefing 27 June 2024: Extreme weather; New talks on EV tariffs; Coal power decline 27 June 2024
China Briefing 13 June 2024: EU EV tariffs; Grid buildout; US-China subnational climate cooperation 13 June 2024
China Briefing 30 May 2024: March emissions drop; âUnitedâ G7 stance on âovercapacityâ; Li Shuo on climate finance 30 May 2024
China Briefing 16 May 2024: Bidenâs 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs; State media pushback; Xiâs Europe trip 16 May 2024
China Briefing 2 May 2024: Energy Law draft; 3.9% carbon intensity target; Guangdong floods 2 May 2024
China Briefing 18 April 2024: Clean-tech âovercapacityâ; New coal construction; Interview with China Photovoltaic Industry Association 18 April 2024
China Briefing 4 April 2024: Heat-driven impact on economy; Coal capacity âpushed downâ; Chinaâs WTO complaint 4 April 2024
China Briefing 21 March 2024: New âtrade-inâ policy; China ETS expands; âTwo sessionsâ geopolitical impact 21 March 2024
China Briefing 7 March 2024: âTwo sessionsâ readout; BYDâs EV megaships; Power upgrade 7 March 2024
China Briefing 22 February 2024: Interview with Chinese govt climate advisor; Missing emissions targets; The cost of excluding China 22 February 2024
China Briefing 8 February 2024: Xiâs âgreenâ call; Renewables to top coal; No new EU solar support 8 February 2024
China Briefing 25 January 2024: Clean energy drives growth; âBeautiful Chinaâ instructions; Interview with EFCâs Prof Zou Ji 25 January 2024
China Briefing 11 January 2024: Expectations for 2024; Top climate negotiator interviewed; NDRC promotes âgreenâ industry 11 January 2024
China Briefing 14 December 2023: COP28 special edition 14 December 2023
China Briefing 30 November 2023: China at COP28; Xiâs âunwaveringâ climate commitment; Voluntary carbon market restart 30 November 2023
China Briefing 16 November 2023: Sunnylands statement; China methane plan; Coal capacity payments 16 November 2023
China Briefing 2 November 2023: Fossil fuel peak in 2024; Graphite curbs; Xie to âretireâ 2 November 2023
China Briefing 19 October 2023: BRI funding; coal job losses; extreme weather damage 19 October 2023
China Briefing 5 October 2023: EV investigation; Forest rules; BRI and climate  5 October 2023
China Briefing 21 September 2023: New power-market rules; 1,000GW of solar âby 2026â; Impact of âEV warsâ 21 September 2023
China Briefing 7 September 2023: Coal âspreeâ; Geopolitical âcooperationâ; Interview with China policy experts 7 September 2023
China Briefing 24 August 2023: âAnti-spyâ measures for energy; Green electricity certificates; Trading carbon credits 24 August 2023
China Briefing 10 August 2023: Severe floods; G20 âobstructionâ; Q&A on nuclear power 10 August 2023
China Briefing 27 July 2023: Kerry in Beijing; âCollapsingâ hydro; âSoaringâ solar 27 July 2023
China Briefing 13 July 2023: Emissions cap; Heat and floods; New climate talks; Gallium and germanium restrictions; Shipping carbon levy 13 July 2023
China Briefing 29 June 2023: China-German climate deal; Coal vs clean; Record-breaking heatwave; Revving EVs 29 June 2023
China Briefing 15 June 2023: CBAM fight; New energy milestone; Extreme heat 15 June 2023
China Briefing, 1 June 2022: âLongest sustainedâ emissions drop; Xieâs Europe trip; Road transport emissions 1 June 2022
China Briefing, 19 May 2022: China to âsignificantly overachieveâ 2030 targets; Sea levels âhighest on recordâ; Power cuts âmust not occurâ 19 May 2022
China Briefing, 5 May 2022: âGiganticâ wind and solar bases; Coal capacity âsurgeâ; Loans for âcleanâ coal 5 May 2022
China Briefing, 21 April 2022: âUnified national energy marketâ; Guidelines for petrochemical; Energy storage analysis 21 April 2022
China Briefing, 7 April 2022: Carbon peaking âaround 2027â; EU-China summit; Food systems for cutting CO2 7 April 2022
China Briefing, 31 March 2022: Impact of coal push; âNo new overseas coal power projectsâ; Analysis on energy plans 31 March 2022
China Briefing, 24 March 2022: 14FYP energy plan; More plans on energy storage and hydrogen; Chinaâs emissions analysis 24 March 2022
China Briefing, 17 March 2022: Beijing âdoubling down on fossil fuelsâ; Chinaâs CO2 emissions increase; Coal production growth 17 March 2022
China Briefing, 10 March 2022: Changes to energy targets; Xiâs coal directives; Analysis on ârecord highâ coal consumption 10 March 2022
China Briefing, 3 March 2022: Impacts of Ukraine invasion; Annual statistical report; Bitcoin âgetting even dirtierâ 3 March 2022
China Briefing, 24 February 2022: New economics measures; Assessing Chinaâs climate pledges; Coal plant research 24 February 2022
China Briefing, 17 February 2022: New energy transition guidance; Five coal plants approved; Energy-efficiency targets raised 17 February 2022
China Briefing, 10 February 2022: âGreenâ Olympics; Steel industry instructions; Beijing-Moscow energy deal 10 February 2022
China Briefing, 3 February 2022: Power market reform; âEnergy-conservingâ 14FYP scheme; Xiâs trip to coal province 3 February 2022
China Briefing, 27 January 2022: Surge in offshore wind; Xiâs new speech; IEAâs report 27 January 2022
China Briefing, 20 January 2022: âRecord-highâ coal output; Winter Olympics 2022; Xiâs new directives 20 January 2022
China Briefing, 6 January 2022: New âgiantâ coal power plant; Hottest year on record; HFC policy 6 January 2022
China Briefing, 23 December 2021: Analysis of Beijingâs new pledge; Interview with senior advisers; Economic planning meeting 23 December 2021
China Briefing, 2 December 2021: Quarterly emissions fall; Power shortagesâ impact; China-Russia energy cooperation 2 December 2021
China Briefing, 18 November 2021: Xi-Biden meeting; Methane emissions; âHistoric new highâ for coal 18 November 2021
China Briefing, 11 November 2021: US-China Glasgow declaration; Calls for âconcrete actionsâ; Xiâs absence at COP26 11 November 2021
China Briefing, 28 October 2021: â1+Nâ; Xiâs energy instruction; Climate âwhite paperâ 28 October 2021
China Briefing, 21 October 2021: âPower woes may worsenâ; Xi ânot expected to joinâ COP26; UK-China climate ties 21 October 2021
China Briefing, 14 October 2021: Instructions to tackle power shortages; COP15 opens; Carbon-neutrality standards 14 October 2021
Expert analysis direct to your inbox.
Get a round-up of all the important articles and papers selected by Carbon Brief by email. Find out more about our newsletters here .
Get a round-up of all the important articles and papers selected by Carbon Brief by email. Find out more about our newsletters here .