China's clean-tech exports on track to cut emissions abroad
China's clean-technology exports are on course to avoid about 450 million tonnes of CO2 in 2026, according to a Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air analysis reported on 29 Oct. The CO2 impact of these exports rose 26% year on year over the first three quarters of 2026, after a 36% rise in 2025. Electric vehicle exports rose 61% and wind turbine exports 45% over the first nine months, compared with a year earlier. Lifetime avoided emissions from 2026 exports are projected at 8,400 million tonnes, with about 76% occurring in the global south. The annual UN climate talks begin next month in Turkey.
Key facts
- Clean energy exports from China to Southeast Asia rose nearly 160% year on year as of September.
- The value of China's electric vehicle exports reached $72.8 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up from $39.7 billion.
- Interest in renewable energy has risen sharply because of the energy crisis linked to the Iran war.
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Why it matters
Clean-tech exports from China are now a measurable factor in global emissions outcomes.
What changed
First published from Carbon Brief, Fortune and Mongabay