China Revises Carbon Emissions Data, Report Says

Independent analysis identified a retrospective adjustment in China's carbon emissions data. The revision changes the trajectory previously presented for national emissions reductions. The adjustment affects how progress on emissions cuts is measured. It produces a different picture of the pace at which emissions have declined.

The analysis compared earlier published figures with the updated series. Differences appear in the historical record used to track annual totals. The revised numbers shift the baseline against which current emissions levels are assessed. This alters calculations of the percentage change achieved over time.

No official explanation for the change was provided in the materials reviewed. The analysis did not identify the specific years or sectors where the largest adjustments occurred.