On March 20, the National Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA) issued the General Implementation Rules for Product Carbon Footprint Labeling Certification (Trial) (hereinafter referred to as the “General Implementation Rules”), which is the country’s first systematic document on product carbon footprint labeling certification and has taken effect from the date of issuance. The document is applicable to products falling under the catalogue of the product carbon footprint labeling certification’s pilot program published by CNCA in 2024, while other products may use the General Implementation Rules as a reference for their own labeling certification activities.
The General Implementation Rules clearly specify that certification bodies should fulfill the selection criteria of the product carbon footprint labeling pilot program and be accredited by CNCA. The certification bodies should also possess at least 10 certification personnel with a minimum of 2 years of working experience in product carbon footprint. The certification model comprises three main parts: preliminary examination, product carbon footprint review, and continuous monitoring after certification. The certification process consists of 10 steps and could take up to 90 days.
In addition, the certification process involves a field inspection which includes a review of the product carbon footprint. The review shall be performed in accordance with principles and procedures in the Annex 2 of the General Implementation Rules: Guideline of Product Carbon Footprint Review, and in compliance with the requirements of GB/T 24076-2024 Greenhouse Gas – Product Carbon Footprint – Quantification Requirements and Guidelines.
The document also reveals the official product carbon footprint label, which features a green-themed design and displays a “footprint” pattern to represent the carbon footprint concept (as seen in the sample picture below). The quantified carbon footprint results of the product should be displayed in Arabic numeral format with the unit of kgCO2e. A QR code should be attached below the label to access detailed information about the product certification (shown as a grey-coloured square in the sample).
Ever since China issued the Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment of a Product Carbon Footprint Management System in 2023, the country has published GB/T 24076-2024 in August 2024 and established the country’s first Carbon Footprint Accounting System. On 9 September 2024, the country initiated its first product carbon footprint certification pilot program, aiming to implement product carbon footprint labeling certification in qualified regions and mature industries. The primary goal of this pilot was to develop a unified, reliable system for product carbon footprint labeling and certification. The creation of the General Implementation Rules incorporates the results and experiences learned from the pilot program. As of now, the rudimentary form of China’s product carbon footprint certification system has taken shape.
Notably, the document has repeatedly mentioned that the trial implementation rules serve as a supporting document for specific implementation rules. In other words, this document is a set of horizontal rules to establish the working framework for product carbon footprint labeling certification. China will continue to issue more detailed requirements and review criteria for specific products in the future to further enrich this certification system. SESEC will continue to monitor its development and report the latest updates.
