context: The Ministry of Ecology and Environment and 14 other departments issued the 'Implementation plan for establishing a carbon footprint management system' in 2024, which set tasks for product carbon footprint accounting rules, factor databases and labelling certification through 2027. The progress report is the first annual stocktake against that plan, released as the EU's CBAM and Battery Regulation sharpen the stakes for Chinese exporters needing recognised carbon data.
MEE (Ministry of Ecology and Environment) released the Product Carbon Footprint Management System Construction Progress Report (2026) on 17 Jun 2026, on National Low-Carbon Day. The report reviews progress made since 2025 across four areas
- strengthening foundations
- improving the institutional system
- local pilots
- international alignment
It frames 2025 as a year of deepening work that lays the groundwork for steadily implementing carbon footprint policies during the 15th 5-year plan and meeting 2027 targets.
On foundations, by end-2025 PRC had issued 15 national product carbon footprint accounting standards (covering electrolytic aluminium, chemical fibre, electronics and more) and over 200 group standards in fields such as steel and chemicals. Four departments adopted 111 group standards across three recommended batches.
The report also published updated electricity carbon footprint factors: the 2024 national average fell to 0.5777 kg CO₂e/kWh, down 6.9 percent from 0.6205 in 2023, reflecting a cleaner power mix. In March 2026, the second version of the national greenhouse gas emission factor database went live, expanding to 576 factors.
On institutions and applications, a carbon footprint labelling certification pilot launched in January 2025 spans 57 regions across 25 provinces, with a first certification catalogue of 17 key products (July 2025) and the first batch of certificates issued across five product categories. Carbon footprint data is increasingly feeding green procurement with 91 central state-owned enterprises now prioritise low-carbon products, alongside green finance products such as carbon-linked loans and central SOE green supply chain rules.
Local pilots are extending the full chain from accounting to certification: Shandong ran footprint calculations for 102 firms across steel, aluminium, tyres and textiles; the Greater Bay Area built a regional labelling system and issued over 500 certificates; and provinces from Zhejiang to Shanxi built localised factor databases.
Internationally, the PRC is tracking the EU's CBAM and Battery Regulation closely, raising concerns at the WTO, and built a CBAM auxiliary reporting platform that helped 92 EU-exporting firms file. It also reports leading 45 international standards in the carbon-neutrality field and pursuing mutual recognition of standards and factor data with Belt and Road partners and bodies such as UNEP.
Looking ahead, the MEE says it will accelerate standard-setting and the national factor database, build out labelling, grading and disclosure systems, and push for international mutual recognition of the PRC's rules and data.