China's revised method for calculating carbon intensity has masked actual emissions growth, erasing half of the reported rise over five years, according to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air. The gap represents around 700mn tonnes of carbon, equivalent to annual emissions from major economies like Germany or South Korea. This revision makes China appear closer to meeting its climate targets than actual progress justifies.

The accounting change raises serious questions about tracking climate progress from the world's largest emitter. China continues to rely heavily on coal despite efforts to electrify energy and transport, putting its 2060 carbon neutrality goal at risk. UN climate chief Simon Stiell praised Beijing as a "leading light," but the revised methodology weakens China's climate targets and introduces uncertainty into progress tracking.

The findings challenge China's climate leadership claims while highlighting worsening opacity in its official data series. Previous data discontinuations include sectoral investment breakdowns, inflation price series, and youth unemployment figures. China's revised emissions methodology suggests a pattern of adjusting metrics to present more favorable progress reports.