SINGAPORE (Reuters) – China emitted 13 billion metric tons of climate-warming greenhouse gases in 2021, up 4.3% from a year earlier, it said in its latest official submission to the United Nations, published by state media on Friday.
The figure is the latest official calculation of annual greenhouse emissions by China, by far the world’s biggest carbon polluter. The last official estimate covered 2017 and measured total emissions at 11.55 billion tons.
As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, China is now obliged to submit detailed emissions numbers every two years, as well as progress reports on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
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China’s first biennial report, formally submitted to the United Nations’ climate body at the end of December, showed that annual greenhouse gas emissions – including carbon dioxide, methane and others – rose more than 70% since 2005, driven by surging energy demand. Energy sector-related emissions in 2021 accounted for 11 billion tons, 76.9% of the total.
Among the major sectors, emissions from cement production stood at 802 million tons of CO2 in 2021, down 3.2% on the year as a result of declining clinker production. Emissions from steel smelting also fell 2.3% to 65.5 million tons.
China aims to bring total CO2 emissions to a peak before 2030, but it is struggling to meet a 2025 interim target to cut the amount of CO2 produced per unit of economic growth by 18% between 2021 and 2025.
Beijing is expected to release updated 2035 climate targets to the United Nations before February. A state think tank has recommended that the government should include a commitment to reduce total emissions for the first time and pledge to double renewable capacity by 2030.
In the report published on Friday, China said it would need to spend 26.8 trillion yuan ($3.66 trillion) from 2024 in order to meet a state target to become “carbon neutral” by 2060.
($1 = 7.3319 yuan)
(Reporting by David Stanway. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
