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Xinyi Wu

China has released new guidelines to reduce carbon emissions across strategic sectors – including energy-intensive data centres – as Beijing pushes to secure its 2030 climate targets amid volatile energy prices triggered by the US-Israeli war in Iran.
The 18-point document, issued by the ruling Communist Party’s powerful Central Committee and the State Council, China’s cabinet, called on heavy industries – including steel, non-ferrous metals and chemicals – to boost energy efficiency and accelerate the decarbonisation of industrial estates.
It also called for greener digital infrastructure through cooling system upgrades and other measures that improve energy efficiency per unit of computing power in data centres and communication networks.
“The inclusion of digital infrastructure is notable,” said Shen Xinyi, senior adviser at the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air think tank.
“This reflects the growing recognition that new drivers of demand, particularly from AI and digitalisation, could become a significant source of incremental energy consumption.”
Heavy industries remain the main focus, reflecting their dominant role in China’s emissions profile, Shen added, noting that more detailed sectoral targets were likely to follow.


In the document, released on Wednesday, authorities also pledged tighter coordination between carbon reduction policies and industrial planning, including the use of digital and green technologies to upgrade traditional industries.
The National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planner, said on Thursday that the new measures would support Beijing’s pledge to peak carbon emissions by 2030 and bolster energy security.
On the same day, the Central Committee and State Council also issued new evaluation measures that require local governments to develop action plans to cut carbon emissions and meet climate targets.
The policy push comes as China grapples with structural constraints that complicate its green transition. Despite rapid growth in renewable energy capacity, the country remains dependent on fossil fuels while heavy industry still plays an outsized role in its economy.
Annual energy consumption rose by 3.5 per cent in 2025, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, and demand is expected to increase further this year, driven by the rapid expansion of AI.
Coal remained the primary fuel source last year, accounting for 51.4 per cent of total energy consumption, while cleaner energy sources – such as natural gas, hydropower and solar power – accounted for 30.4 per cent.
External pressures have added urgency to Beijing’s efforts. Global energy prices have surged over the past two months as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz – a vital energy chokepoint – slowed sharply following the outbreak of the Iran war. The conflict has forced countries worldwide to renew their focus on energy security.




Chinese authorities have also vowed to expand the country’s charging networks and advance the development of hydrogen-powered trucks and green-fuel ships to cut emissions in the transport sector.
“The real test will be in implementation – particularly how these constraints are enforced at the local level, and how they interact with short-term growth priorities,” Shen said.
Progress on China’s climate targets remains uneven. Carbon emissions from China’s chemicals industry increased 12 per cent in 2025 due to rising coal and oil use, even as other heavy industries saw slight declines, according to a report by Carbon Brief, a British publication focused on climate and energy policy.
“Without changes to policy, emissions growth is set to continue, as the coal-to-chemicals industry is planning major increases in capacity,” the report’s authors warned in February.
They estimated that China’s total carbon emissions could have fallen by about an additional 1.7 percentage points last year if not for the increase in the chemicals sector.


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New emission rules for strategic sectors come as the Iran war reinforces the need for energy security


New emission rules for strategic sectors come as the Iran war reinforces the need for energy security.


China targets greener AI data centres, heavy industry in push to meet 2030 climate goals

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}New emission rules for strategic sectors come as the Iran war reinforces the need for energy security

New emission rules for strategic sectors come as the Iran war reinforces the need for energy security