New analysis from climate research outlet Carbon Brief shows that both nations reduced coal fired electricity in 2025, marking the first simultaneous decline since 1973. This shift follows record investment in renewable energy across both countries, accelerating their move away from fossil fuels.

Coal generation fell by 1.6 percent in China and 3 percent in India, a significant change for two economies long seen as the backbone of global coal demand. According to Carbon Brief, if current momentum continues and renewable energy targets are met, both countries could pass peak coal before 2030.

The implications extend far beyond national borders. Between 2015 and 2024, the power sectors of China and India accounted for 93 percent of the increase in global carbon dioxide emissions. Any sustained decline in coal use therefore has the potential to reshape the global emissions curve.

While major challenges remain, Carbon Brief described the drop in coal power output as a historic moment, one that could help push the world closer to a peak in global emissions.

In a decade defined by climate urgency, even small shifts in the world’s largest energy systems can have planet wide consequences.

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