China's Waning Appetite For Oil Is Keeping Emissions In Check

The millions of Chinese drivers who turned to charging stations over gas pumps as the Iran War drove up fuel prices have helped shift the country's climate trajectory.  China's oil consumption fell 9% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, driven by a 16% slump in the transport sector, according to a report from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. Crude oil processing dropped 11%. Electric vehicles were a major beneficiary as gasoline and diesel became more expensive.Although coal use at power stations continued to rise, the decline in oil demand helped trim total emissions by 1% - the first time that oil rather than coal has been responsible for a drop in China, CREA said."The rise in oil prices has caused a stronger shift in China's transportation sector than anyone anticipated, with EV deployment and use accelerating from an already high base," said Lauri Myllyvirta, lead…