Chinese carbon dioxide emissions fell 2.7 percent during the first six months of 2025, while U.S. CO2 emissions were up 4.2 percent

A solar boom is the primary reason for the shift. China installed a staggering 92 gigawatts of solar capacity in May alone, taking the total capacity of its solar fleet to more than 1 terawatts, according to IEA. To put that number in context, total U.S. solar capacity was about 134 GW at the end of June.

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