India and China Lead Global Renewable Energy Expansion, Defy Climate Criticism
In recent years, many have unfairly labeled India and China as the villains in the climate change narrative. Critics often view their push for a larger carbon budget for historically low-emission nations as an obstacle to phasing out fossil fuels. This perspective ignores the significant strides both countries have made in using green technology to meet their development goals.
Record Renewable Energy Growth in 2025
New data from Carbon Brief, released earlier this week, reveals a groundbreaking trend. India and China spearheaded the world's renewable energy expansion in 2025. Their record-breaking additions to renewable capacity led to a decline in coal power generation for the first time in five decades.
China achieved this milestone despite a dramatic increase in electricity demand. Its power needs grew approximately five times compared to 2024 levels. Meanwhile, India is poised to become the second-largest renewables market globally within the next five years.
Global Renewable Energy Data Shows Mixed Results
The detailed analysis of global renewable energy statistics presents both positive and negative aspects. Green power generation increased by 71 terawatt-hours last year. However, the European Union experienced a significant setback.
Fossil fuel-generated electricity in the EU rose by more than 10 percent during the first half of 2025. Unstable wind conditions and severe drought highlighted the vulnerability of renewable energy installations in the region. Although some decarbonization efforts resumed later in the year, the EU saw its first decline in solar capacity additions in a decade.
Challenges in Developed Economies
Geopolitical tensions, energy shocks, and cost-of-living pressures have weakened Europe's climate action momentum. Much of its aging electrical grid was designed for predictable power flows, not for variable sources like solar and wind energy.
Across the Atlantic, former President Donald Trump's dismissal of climate science threatens to reverse decarbonization progress beyond U.S. borders. In a troubling reversal of a trend that began in 2005, the United States emitted more heat-trapping gases last year compared to 2024.
Sustaining Progress in India and China
For India and China, maintaining the reduction in fossil fuel use will require tackling several challenges. Both nations must upgrade their electrical grids and increase investments in energy storage systems. These improvements are essential to manage the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources.
The Carbon Brief findings will likely strengthen the negotiating positions of these emerging economies in global climate discussions. As the International Energy Agency has emphasized, achieving clean energy targets depends heavily on how developed nations overcome recent obstacles to climate change mitigation.
