Answer questions from reporters on "Requirements and Guidelines for Quantifying Carbon Footprint of Greenhouse Gas Products"

The general rules for product carbon footprint accounting "Requirements and Guidelines for Quantification of Greenhouse Gas Products Carbon Footprint" national standard (GB/T 24067-2024, hereinafter referred to as the "General Rules and Standards"), formulated under the guidance of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, was officially released recently and will be implemented in 2024. October 1. The responsible comrade of the Department of Climate Change Response of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment answered questions from reporters on the relevant situation of the "General Principles and Standards".

Question: What is the background for the promulgation of the General Principles and Standards?

Answer:The "Decision" of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China emphasized "building a carbon emission statistical accounting system, a product carbon labeling certification system, and a product carbon footprint management system." The "Carbon Peak Action Plan before 2030" proposes to explore the establishment of carbon footprint standards for key products throughout the life cycle. The "Implementation Plan on Accelerating the Establishment of a Unified and Standardized Carbon Emissions Statistical Accounting System" proposes the requirements for establishing and improving carbon emission accounting methods for key products. At the same time, international trade policies involving the carbon footprint of products are frequently emerging, posing challenges to my country's product exports. It is urgent to find out the carbon footprint of my country's products through scientific methods. In order to implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council and actively respond to international carbon-related trade policies, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment took the lead in implementing the task requirements of "issuing General Rules and Standards for Product Carbon Footprint Accounting" in the "Implementation Plan on Establishing a Carbon Footprint Management System" of 15 ministries and commissions, guiding and formulating the "General Rules and Standards" as the general rules for carbon footprint accounting of domestic products, and guiding and promoting the preparation of carbon footprint accounting standards for various products in my country.

Question: What is the significance of the promulgation of the General Principles and Standards?

Answer:The promulgation of the "General Rules and Standards" is an important step in implementing the carbon footprint work task. It fills the gap in the general standards for carbon footprint accounting of domestic products and will provide guidance for all parties to study and formulate specific product carbon footprint accounting standards. Under the guidance of the "General Rules and Standards", accelerating the preparation of carbon footprint accounting standards and data accounting for specific products and finding out the "bottom line" of product carbon emissions is an important basis for accelerating the construction of my country's product carbon footprint management system, which is conducive to exploring enterprises and upstream and downstream The potential for energy conservation and carbon reduction of the industrial chain helps achieve the goal of carbon peak and carbon neutrality, helps enterprises cope with international green trade barriers, improves product low-carbon competitiveness and trade competitive advantages.

Question: What are the main contents of the General Provisions Standards?

Answer:The "General Rules and Standards" stipulate the research scope, principles and quantitative methods of product carbon footprint. The main contents include: First, determine the basic requirements and principles for product carbon footprint accounting, including the use of full life cycle perspectives, functions or declaration units, iterative methods, priority, integrity, consistency, uniformity, accuracy, transparency and avoidance of double counting; The second is to stipulate the four steps of the product carbon footprint quantification method, the five stages of the life cycle, as well as the preparation requirements for product category rules, accounting boundary selection principles, calculation methods, etc.; the third is to propose the product carbon footprint reporting requirements and basic content. In addition, the "General Rules and Standards" also stipulate identification reviews, product carbon footprint statements and specific product carbon footprint standard frameworks, providing sufficient guidance and guarantees for subsequent implementation and application.

Question: What are the characteristics of the "General Provisions Standards"?

Answer:The "General Rules and Standards" are prepared in accordance with internationally accepted life cycle assessment standards, and are transformed into the ISO 14067 international standard issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), embodying the "Implementation Plan on Establishing a Carbon Footprint Management System""in the" Implementation Plan on Establishing a Carbon Footprint Management System ". The task requirements of" Localizing General Product Accounting Methods and Standards "lay the foundation for international mutual recognition of product carbon footprint accounting methods and data. Compared with international standards, the "General Rules and Standards" also add a reference framework for compiling carbon footprint standards for specific products, suggestions for data geographical boundary information, etc., which is richer in content and more operational.

Question: How to effectively implement and apply the General Provisions Standards in the next step?

Answer:The Ministry of Ecology and Environment will work with relevant departments to systematically promote the implementation and application of the "General Rules and Standards". Guided by the "General Rules and Standards", the Ministry of Ecology and Environment will encourage industry associations, enterprises and other parties to actively participate in and carry out the preparation of carbon footprint accounting standards for specific products, focusing on basic energy, bulk raw materials, key foreign trade products in urgent need, transportation and other key areas to accelerate the development of national standards, industry standards and group standards, and actively participate in the preparation of international standards. Systematically build a carbon footprint standard system for my country's products, use standardization work to promote the green and low-carbon transformation of industrial and supply chains, and help the development of new productivity and the construction of a beautiful China.