BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM
For the first time in over five decades, coal-fired electricity generation has dropped in both China and India, the world’s two largest consumers of coal. This historic shift, outlined in new research from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and published by Carbon Brief, may signal the beginning of a long-anticipated global turning point in carbon emissions.
The simultaneous dip in coal use by these energy giants hasn’t occurred since 1973. And according to analysts, this milestone is less about a dip in demand and more about a powerful surge in clean energy development that is reshaping the global energy landscape.
A historic clean energy boom drives the shift
The analysis revealed that coal-generated electricity fell by 1.6 percent in China and 3 percent in India in 2025. These declines are especially significant because both countries have seen energy demand steadily rise. So, what changed? A record-breaking rollout of renewable energy, particularly solar and wind, was not only enough to meet that demand but also to begin replacing fossil fuels.
In China, the scale of clean energy development was nothing short of extraordinary. The country added more than 300 gigawatts of solar and 100 gigawatts of wind in a single year. To put that in perspective, this is over five times the total energy capacity of the United Kingdom.
India also made impressive strides. It installed 35 gigawatts of solar, 6 gigawatts of wind, and 3.5 gigawatts of hydropower. For the first time, the country’s clean energy growth significantly contributed to a decline in coal-fired electricity, an undeniably crucial moment in India’s energy transition. In fact, renewables accounted for 44 percent of the drop in India’s fossil fuel use over the past year.
Clean energy meets rising energy demand
While about 36 percent of India’s coal reduction was influenced by milder weather patterns, and 20 percent came from slower economic growth, analysts say the uptick in clean energy is the real headline. With renewable power now beginning to edge out coal, the countries that once drove over 90 percent of the world’s emissions increase between 2015 and 2024 are showing that a cleaner path forward is possible.
“The drop in coal power and record increase in clean energy in China and India marks a historic moment,” the report said, adding that this could be “a sign of things to come.”
Still, some challenges remain. As extreme weather events become more frequent, including hotter summers that spike demand for air conditioning, there’s potential for energy use to rebound, particularly in countries like India. Additionally, the global coal comeback seen in 2022, driven by gas price hikes following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, underscored how external events can disrupt even the best-laid climate plans.
What this means for global emissions
The International Energy Agency previously warned that coal emissions could hover near record highs until at least 2027. But this new data suggests the tide may finally be turning. If these downward trends in coal use prove durable and if renewables continue to scale up at this pace, then 2025 may go down as the year when the world’s reliance on coal truly began to wane.
For climate advocates, this progress is not just symbolic. It’s foundational. China and India have long been seen as the critical players in any global effort to slow climate change. Their transition to cleaner energy sources is no longer theoretical. It’s happening, and the numbers are beginning to reflect that shift.
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