White paper claims one quarter of China's energy now comes from clean sources

China emerges as a global renewable energy leader, aiming for net zero emissions by 2060.

A quarter of all the energy China consumes now comes from clean sources, according to research published Thursday (August 29, 2024), as Beijing rapidly pivots its huge economy to a greener footing.

The country is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases, though has in recent years emerged as a global leader in renewable energy.

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It has pledged to bring its emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide to a peak by 2030 and to net zero by 2060.

A white paper published Thursday (August 29) said the proportion of "clean energy" in total national consumption rose from 15.5% to 26.4% over the past decade, according to State news agency Xinhua.

Wind and solar capacity increased by ten times over the same period, Xinhua quoted the document as saying.

It said China was responsible for over 40% of annual additions to global renewable energy capacity since 2013.