context: The National Development and Reform Commission revised and reissued in July Measures for reviewing energy conservation in fixed-asset investment projects. Set to take effect from 1 September 2025, the Measures flag the inclusion of carbon emissions in review requirements, another signal of the broader systemic shift to dual control of carbon emissions.
Major updates in the latest measures will see carbon emissions requirements and greater central authority involved in energy conservation reviews. These mandates set higher and stricter standards for energy conservation, noted an NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) official.
The review system has faced challenges in interim and post-project supervision and control at the project source, making the updates both necessary and urgent, they added.
The main changes cover
- incorporating carbon emission evaluations and coal consumption management into the review system
- allows for comprehensive evaluation of both energy use and carbon emissions
- establishing mechanism for changing the review authorities
- NDRC will conduct reviews for major projects in key sectors, with more detailed procedures and requirements to be specified
- improving interm and post management regulations
- departments responsible for energy conservation management must strengthen supervision on reviews
- revised measures address specific situations such as major project changes or failure to implement review recommendations
- requirements for project acceptance and legal responsibility provisions have been strengthened