China's oil and gas use fell in 2022 for the first time in decades due to COVID-19 lockdowns that curbed energy demand, a sign of a weakening economy, writes Clifford Krauss in The New York Times (NYT). The International Energy Agency, which made the revelation on Friday, said that China's economy was severely hampered by stringent measures to curb the spread of Covid-19. China's demand for natural gas declined by 0.7 per cent in 2022, the first drop since 1982, the agency reported. Imports of liquefied natural gas fell by 21 per cent, dropping China to second place among importers, behind Japan. However, Birol said that "next winter could be more challenging" since the weather could be colder, Russian fuel exports would be further reduced by Western sanctions over the war, and China's economy would be recovering.

Source: International New York Times January 29, 2023 23:42 UTC