China’s carbon emissions fell in the third quarter for the first time since its economic recovery from the coronavirus began, new research shows, partly as a result of a clampdown on property development and widespread coal shortages.

The world’s biggest emitter of greenhouse gases saw CO2 emissions drop by around 0.5% in July to September from a year earlier, Lauri Myllyvirta, lead analyst with the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), said.

“The drop in emissions could mark a turning point and an early peak in China’s total emissions, years ahead of its target to peak before 2030,” Myllyvirta said in a report published on Carbon Brief on Thursday.

This article was originally posted on channelnewsasia.com