13/02/2026
One of the most common objections I hear to climate action is: “But what about China?”
The person making this argument usually goes on to claim that China is doing nothing, while everyone else is making sacrifices. But that’s not what the data show.
Here’s the reality:
* As the U.S. doubles down on fossil fuels and blocks new wind and solar projects, its emissions are ticking up.
* In contrast, China’s emissions appear to have peaked — and may now be starting to decline.
* Last year, China installed a full half of all the world's new wind and solar energy.
* Over the past two years, China installed more new solar power each year than the U.S. has installed in total across its entire history.
* China's clean exports alone are cutting CO2 outside its borders by 1% year on year.
Of course no country can fix climate change on its own. But as it's a global problem, progress in one place helps everyone.
If you want to go deeper into the data, I’ve put links to the full analyses in the comments.
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REQUESTS BEFORE COMMENTING
If you're going to claim climate is not changing, humans aren't responsible, or the impacts aren't serious, please review this list of responses to common arguments before you do so, so you don't waste your time in sharing misinformation (and my time in blocking you for doing so!): https://skepticalscience.com/argument.php
If you're going to call me a liar or a dupe, or claim that China's coal use negates all the above (ignoring the fact that US coal use has ticked up), please be sure to thoroughly read the four references I provide in the comments below before doing so.
If you're going to call me other offensive names, or tell me to do offensive things, please be aware that most of these are on my moderation list of words that, if you use them, your comment will be immediately hidden and you'll be blocked.
Thank you!
