In order to accelerate the establishment of a carbon footprint management system, form a green and low-carbon supply chain and production lifestyle, promote the development of new quality productive forces, and help achieve the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, 15 departments including the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development formulated the Implementation Plan for Establishing a Carbon Footprint Management System (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) and released it recently.

The Plan specifies adherence to the principles of "goal-led, coordinated implementation," "proactive action, pragmatic cooperation," "government guidance, market leadership," and "innovation-driven, pioneering trials." By 2027, a carbon footprint management system will be initially established. General national rules and standards for product carbon footprint accounting aligned with international practices will be formulated and issued, accounting rules and standards for approximately 100 key products will be formulated and introduced, a product carbon footprint factor database will be initially constructed, a product carbon footprint labeling, certification, and grading management system will be initially established, and positive progress will be made in aligning the rules for key product carbon footprints with international standards.

By 2030, the carbon footprint management system will be more complete and application scenarios more abundant. Accounting rules and standards for approximately 200 key products will be formulated and introduced, a product carbon footprint factor database with broad coverage, high data quality, and strong international influence will be basically completed, a product carbon footprint labeling, certification, and grading management system will be fully established, and the application environment for product carbon footprints will be continuously optimized and expanded.

The Plan proposes four main tasks: establishing and improving the carbon footprint management system, building a carbon footprint work pattern with multi-party participation, promoting international mutual trust in product carbon footprint rules, and continuously strengthening product carbon footprint capacity building. These are broken down into 22 specific tasks, including issuing general rules and standards for product carbon footprint accounting and accounting rules and standards for key products, establishing and improving a product carbon footprint factor database, and establishing a product carbon footprint grading management system.

The Plan requires enriching and expanding application scenarios, incorporating product carbon footprint-related requirements into government procurement demand standards in due course, and encouraging governments and state-owned enterprises to increase the procurement and promotion of products with lower carbon footprints. With a focus on consumer goods such as decoration and renovation materials and automobiles, the promotion and application of product carbon labels in the consumer goods sector will be advanced in an orderly manner.

Provinces and cities with the necessary conditions are encouraged to carry out product carbon footprint pilots based on their own realities, explore innovations in policy support tools, increase financial support, and support the priority procurement and use of products with lower carbon footprints in green travel and carbon inclusive scenarios. Regions with the necessary conditions are encouraged to carry out pioneering trials to provide experience and reference for national product carbon footprint management.

The Plan requires relevant departments to strengthen overall work coordination, conduct in-depth research on major international and domestic issues in the field of product carbon footprints, regularly review work progress, solidly implement all tasks, and promote the active participation of local governments, industry associations, enterprises, and third-party institutions to jointly build China's carbon footprint management system; strengthen the implementation of division of labor, establish an expert group, strengthen guidance for industries and enterprises, and form a policy synergy. Attach great importance, take proactive action, strengthen capacity building, and ensure the effective implementation of the Plan; make full use of various media channels to increase publicity of carbon footprint work, and provide policy interpretation, professional training, technical services, etc. Widely publicize domestic carbon footprint work and outstanding practice cases on international occasions, tell China's story well, and spread China's experience.