On August 19, 2022, China released a plan to accelerate the construction of a system to calculate carbon emissions.
By 2023, China should preliminarily establish a unified and standardized calculation system with a clear division of responsibilities and coherent coordination among all relevant departments. By 2025, The calculation system will be further improved with enhanced statistical quality, so as to provide a comprehensive, scientific, reliable data support for China’s endeavour to peak its emissions by 2030 and secure carbon neutrality by 2060, the plan said.
Four main tasks are deployed in the plan:
1. National Bureau of Statistics should formulate a unified calculation method at national and municipal levels and carry out calculations on annual carbon emissions;
2. Ministry of Ecology and Environment, The State Administration for Market Supervision and industrial authorities should lead in the formulation and amendment of calculation methods and national standards in key sectors such as electric power, steel, nonferrous metals, building materials, petrochemicals, chemicals and construction;
3. Ministry of Ecology and Environment and industrial authorities should study and develop calculation methods for raw materials, semi-finished and finished products, with an emphasis on industries such as electricity, steel, electrolytic aluminum, cement, lime, flat glass, oil refining, ethylene, synthetic ammonia, calcium carbide, methanol and modern coal chemical;
4. Ministry of Ecology and Environment should improve national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory development process, and smooth the regular development of GHG inventory.
It also specified measures to consolidate statistics, categorize carbon emission factors, apply advanced technologies, explore methodologies, and offer policy support.
