On March 31, 2026, SESEC successfully hosted its first webinar of the SESEC VI phase, titled “China’s Product Carbon Footprint Policy and Standardization.” The session attracted 132 registered participants from the European stakeholder community, providing a comprehensive analysis of China’s rapidly maturing policy, standards, and certification framework for Product Carbon Footprint (PCF).

The webinar was presented by Dr. Betty Xu, SESEC’s director. She highlighted that China has fully integrated carbon footprint management into its national “1+N” policy system, with 2025 marking a critical turning point from top-level design to operational implementation. Key milestones include the official release of electricity carbon footprint factors (now updated annually) and the launch of a mandatory PCF reporting pilot for electric vehicle (EV) traction batteries, which will become fully mandatory by January 2027.

A major focus of the webinar was China’s PCF standardization progress. Since adopting GB/T 24067-2024 Greenhouse gases—Carbon footprint of products—Requirements and guidelines for quantification (modified from ISO 14067 Greenhouse gases — Carbon footprint of products — Requirements and guidelines for quantification) as its general framework, China has published 17 national PCF standards and has another 96 under development. According to the Guidelines for the Development of Product Carbon Footprint Accounting Standards, China aims to publish 100 national PCF standards by 2027 and 200 by 2030. These standards would focus on a wide range of sectors, including raw materials, energy, high-energy-consuming industries, consumer goods, and the “New Three” exports (EVs, lithium batteries, and photovoltaics).

The session also explored China’s new PCF certification pilot. Currently, 17 product categories, including lithium batteries, steel, and cement, are part of the pilot, with 26 certification bodies operating across 25 provinces. A dedicated case study on EV traction batteries revealed critical methodological differences between the EU and China—particularly in green power recognition, lifetime calculation, and recycling accounting. While both systems share the same core logic, European stakeholders should prepare for these divergences by adjusting their green power strategies, leveraging long-life battery technologies, and building data verification capacity ahead of China’s 2027 mandatory declaration deadline.