Archive · 27 Jan 2026
India and China Cut Power Emissions
India and China, the world's biggest users of coal, have started to reduce the bad gases that come from making electricity.
They did this by adding lots of clean energy like wind and solar power.
This is good news because it helps stop the world from getting too warm.
In the U.S., however, the use of coal for electricity went up, which is not so good.
But overall, the bad gases from making electricity around the world stayed about the same.
Experts think China will use less coal in the future, but India will still need it to keep up with the growing need for electricity.
India and China's power sector emissions declined simultaneously for the first time in 52 years in 2025.
India's power sector emissions fell by 38 million tCO2e (4.1%) in the 11 months to November 2025.
Record clean-power generation in India and China met rising energy demand in 2025.
U.S. power plant emissions rose by 3.3% in 2025, the fastest increase this century.
Global power sector emissions stayed largely flat in 2025 due to declines in India and China offsetting U.S. increases.
- Who
- India and China
- What
- Cut power sector emissions by accelerating clean energy deployment
- When
- 2025
- Where
- India and China
- Why
- To mitigate global emissions growth and meet rising energy demand
- Emissions Decline
- India's power sector emissions fell 38 million tCO2e (4.1%) in 2025
- Clean Energy Deployment
- Record clean-power generation in 2025 met rising demand in India and China
- U.S. Emissions Rise
- U.S. power plant emissions rose 3.3% in 2025, fastest this century
- Global Emissions
- Global power sector emissions stayed largely flat in 2025
- Coal Outlook
- IEA expects gradual decline in China's coal use, steady rise in India's
- U.S. Coal Demand
- IEA expects 6% reduction in U.S. coal demand by 2030
- Top Coal Users
- India and China accounted for 93% of global CO2 discharges rise through 2024
- Power Sector Emissions Share
- 60% of world's power sector emissions come from China, India, and the U.S.