By Li Jifeng, Guo Jiaofeng, Gao Shiji & Gu Alun, Research Team on “Ecological Civilization Construction and Low-Carbon Development: Theoretical Explorations, Performance Analysis and Policy Options”, DRC

Research Report, No. 8, 2020 (Total 5752) 2020-1-20

Abstract: National carbon emission accounting is the primary prerequisite to accurately grasp the changing trend of China’s carbon emissions, effectively conduct various carbon emission reduction work, and press ahead the green transformation of the economy, and the proper despondence to these issues could enable China to take a positive stance and have a big say when participating in international negotiations on climate change. China has initially developed the carbon accounting methods, and carried out the accounting work for five years. However, the working mechanism remains to be improved, the method and system are relatively outdated, the statistical base deviation of energy consumption and carbon emission factors of some fossil energy is large, and carbon accounting results need to be accumulated on an annual basis. These problems have affected the authority of greenhouse gas emission accounting. With the increasing importance of addressing climate change in the global governance system, China will face more pressure in international climate negotiations and domestic carbon reduction work. Meanwhile, the international rules of carbon accounting are constantly updated, and China’s existing accounting system finds it more and more difficult to adapt to the new situation and support the relevant scientific decisions. The above-mentioned problems need to be addressed as swiftly as possible.

Key words: carbon emission accounting, carbon emission reduction strategy, measures responding to climate change