Establish a carbon footprint management system, why is the carbon footprint factor database important?| Carbon Footprint Series Interpretation ③

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment, together with multiple departments, recently issued the "Implementation Plan on Establishing a Carbon Footprint Management System"(hereinafter referred to as the "Plan").

The "Plan" clearly states that it is necessary to promote the international docking of product carbon footprint rules, accelerate the release and update of localized product carbon footprint factors and promote international recognition, and promote the gradual implementation of key product carbon footprint accounting evaluation and certification standards, institutional and personnel qualification assessment with major trading partners. Achieve mutual recognition.

However, the construction time of my country's carbon emission factor library is relatively short. In the past few years, during the export process of my country's products, the carbon emissions calculated by foreign countries have always been higher than the carbon emissions calculated by my country. To establish a carbon footprint management system and promote international mutual recognition of carbon footprint factors for my country's products, we must first establish an authoritative and scientific carbon emission factor database, which is also one of the issues of concern to the "Plan".

When answering reporters about the relevant situation of the "Plan", the responsible comrades of the Department of Climate Change Response of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment also said that establishing and improving a product carbon footprint factor database is one of the key tasks that need to be completed to establish a carbon footprint management system.

foreign computingtheThe carbon emissions of my country's products are high

The data used to calculate my country's products are relatively old and cannot reflect the actual carbon emissions of my country's products

Why are the carbon emissions of products calculated by the international database higher than the carbon emissions calculated by my country itself?

"Many countries generally use databases from other countries to calculate my country's carbon footprint. Databases that are often used include Switzerland's Ecoinvent, European Life Cycle Documentation Database ELCD, Germany's GaBi Databases, etc." An industry insider in the carbon field who did not want to be named gave an example,"For example, France used data from the Ecoinvent International Database when bidding. The database has been updated to version 3.10, but the data for calculating China's photovoltaic products has not been updated. It is still used. It is the earlier version 3.1, so the data calculated based on this database is obviously much larger than the current actual carbon footprint of my country's photovoltaic products and cannot reflect my country's actual carbon emissions. This is why we must build our own carbon footprint factor database and carbon footprint standard system."

According to reports, the main reason for the large international calculation of the carbon emissions of my country's products is that the basic data used internationally and domestically differ sooner or later. For example, the EU uses older data, and it is easier for my country to obtain the latest data by calculating the carbon emission factors of its own products. The newer the data, the lower the emission factor and the lower the carbon emissions.

Under the "double carbon" goal in my country, the green and low-carbon transformation of all walks of life continues to advance. Not only is the electricity used becoming more and more "green", some products also use some recyclable and recyclable raw materials. Materials will themselves reduce the carbon footprint. With the algorithm unchanged, the newer the data, the more valuable the more valuable the data.

Zhang Jingjie, deputy director of the Planning and Development Department of the China Electricity Council (hereinafter referred to as China Electricity Council), told this reporter: "The relevant rules of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have clarified that under international principles, countries can use their own Data and accounting methods calculate the carbon footprint of a product. China has established its own carbon footprint database, which not only has a better understanding of its own situation and makes more accurate calculations, but also conforms to internationally accepted rules."

What are the differences in the carbon footprint factor database requirements?

Carbon emissions not only include scope 1, but also need to cover the entire life cycle

"Data quality control requirements and traceability requirements are the key to affecting the quality of carbon footprints. To calculate the carbon footprint of key products, we must first have a complete database. In the "Plan", it has been clearly proposed to establish and improve a product carbon footprint factor database." Zhang Jingjie pointed out.

"At present, relevant departments in my country have established a carbon emission factor database, which means that there is a certain data foundation for further establishing and improving the carbon footprint factor database." The above-mentioned industry insiders told this reporter that, for example, relevant national departments have previously released the emission factors of China's regional power grid benchmark for emission reduction projects. However, these grid baseline emission factor calculation processes only consider scope 1 carbon emissions and do not cover life cycle carbon emissions. The carbon footprint factor library needs to cover the entire life cycle of the product.

Take photovoltaics as an example. As we all know, photovoltaic power generation is zero-carbon, that is, it does not produce carbon emissions; but from the perspective of carbon footprint throughout the life cycle, even photovoltaic power generation will produce carbon emissions due to photovoltaic panel manufacturing and subsequent decommissioning processes. Emissions, so photovoltaic also has carbon emissions.

"To calculate the carbon footprint of photovoltaic panels, we need to trace it back to the carbon footprint of raw materials, which is relatively difficult to achieve." The above-mentioned industry insiders said that in order to better calculate the carbon footprint of photovoltaic panels, it is necessary to calculate the carbon emission factors of photovoltaic raw materials, such as silicon materials, silicon materials and some auxiliary materials, and place them in the database for subsequent calculations. When calculating the carbon footprint of photovoltaic panels, it can be used directly.

According to the "Plan", my country will rely on the national greenhouse gas emission factor database, prioritize the release of product carbon footprint factors in key areas such as basic energy, bulk commodities and raw materials, semi-finished products and transportation, and establish a national product carbon footprint factor database; at the same time, Guide research institutions, industry associations, and enterprises to submit product carbon footprint factors to enrich and improve the national database; In addition, industry authorities, qualified regions, industry associations and enterprises can collect and collate data resources in accordance with laws and regulations as needed, study product carbon footprint factor data in subdivided fields, and form a connection and supplement with the national database.

"It should be noted that the establishment and improvement of a product carbon footprint factor database is a very important task, but from the perspective of the entire life cycle of any product, this is an inexhaustible matter and can only be deepened as the work develops. Carbon footprint databases for major commodities and raw materials must be established. If all products in the country are required to establish their own databases, developed countries cannot do it now." An industry expert who declined to be named told this reporter,"Forming and establishing a database based on the entire life cycle of a product, even including the carbon emissions processed after the product is used, is an ideal result. I think that one database may not cover the overall situation. Our final database may be hierarchical and sub-domain. There may be a typical database at the national level, and then databases established in different fields will also exist at the same time."

The above-mentioned industry experts further stated that the "Plan" actually builds a structure and builds a top-level design. The specific construction depends on industry associations and relevant policies and regulations. Moreover, the whole society must have a consensus that the database is a process of continuous improvement and a task that the whole society completes together.

How to promote international mutual recognition of data?

Absorb advanced achievements, and adopt international standards for equal transformation and modification

According to the "Plan", my country's carbon footprint management system is currently being established at an accelerated pace. Among them, the formulation and promulgation of carbon footprint accounting rules and standards for key products is an important content.

Zhang Jingjie told this reporter: "In order to promote domestic carbon footprint standardization, my country has adopted the" Principles and Framework for Environmental Management Life Cycle Assessment "(ISO 14040:2006) and" Environmental Management Life Cycle Assessment Requirements and Guidelines "issued by the International Organization for Standardization. The two standards have been equally adopted, forming two national standards: " Environmental Management Life Cycle Assessment Principles and Framework "(GB/T 24040-2008) and" Environmental Management Life Cycle Assessment Requirements and Guidelines "(GB/T 24044-2008)."

According to Zhang Jingjie, the so-called IDT means that national standards are the same as international standards, without or with slight editorial modifications. Its role is to introduce international standards that are universal and universal on a global scale. Our country's national standard system is conducive to fully learning from and absorbing the advanced concepts and technical achievements of international standards. This also laid the foundation for mutual recognition of carbon footprint standards between my country and international countries.

"In addition, my country has also revised and adopted (MOD, modified) the" Requirements and Guidelines for Quantification of Carbon Footprint of Greenhouse Gas Products "(ISO 14067:2018)) issued by the International Organization for Standardization, forming the" Requirements and Guidelines for Quantification of Carbon Footprint of Greenhouse Gas Products ", which is more in line with the actual carbon footprint calculation of my country's products." Zhang Jingjie said that whether it is equivalent conversion or modification, the standards formed by adoption standardize the principles and requirements for product carbon footprint quantification and reporting. These standards will serve as basic and universal standards in the field of carbon footprint accounting in my country and provide guidance for the establishment of a carbon footprint standard system in all walks of life in our country. Currently, these standards are in the final stage of preparation.

"From previously considering Scope 1 carbon emissions to now considering establishing a full life cycle carbon emissions, my country's overall carbon management has made great progress. In terms of promoting international mutual trust in product carbon footprint rules, the calculation method we use (ISO 14067:2018) is in line with international standards. In the future, according to the Plan, we also need to actively respond to international carbon-related trade policies and promote international docking of product carbon footprint rules., promote exchanges and mutual recognition of product carbon footprint rules with countries co-building the 'Belt and Road', actively participate in the formulation of international standards and rules, and strengthen international exchanges and cooperation." The above-mentioned industry insiders said.