[Policy Update] Three Ministries Jointly Issue "Guidance Catalogue for Carbon Emission Metrology Capability Building (2026 Edition)"

The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) jointly released the "Guidance Catalogue for Carbon Emission Metrology Capability Building (2026 Edition)".

⚙️ Core Components

1.       Upgrading High-Emission Traditional Sectors: The Catalogue targets energy-intensive industries including steel, cement, petrochemicals, and chemicals, closing technical gaps by setting strict requirements for measuring instrument deployment, data acquisition frequencies, and data quality assurance protocols across production lines.

2.       Pioneering Standards for Emerging Low-Carbon Tech: In a forward-looking move, the framework establishes metrological specifications for emerging green sectors, such as EV charging infrastructure, carbon capture, utilization, and green hydrogen production.

💡 Key Takeaways

1.       Closing the Gap Between Estimation and Direct Measurement: By formalizing hardware and instrumentation standards, the updated Catalogue shifts corporate carbon reporting away from generic default calculation coefficients toward precise, metrologically verified direct measurement, ensuring high-fidelity emissions data.

2.       Accelerating CCUS and Green Hydrogen Commercialization: Clear metrology protocols for CCUS and green hydrogen production remove a major hurdle for project certification and green premium verification, facilitating easier integration into national and international carbon crediting mechanisms.

[Market Update] MIIT Formally Terminates "Cascading Utilization" Management for Retired EV Power Batteries

📰 News Highlight

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) issued Announcement No. 20 of 2026, officially abolishing the "cascading utilization" (second-life repurposing) clauses in the Industry Standard Conditions for the Comprehensive Utilization of Retired Power Batteries from New Energy Vehicles (2024 Edition).

💡 Key Takeaways

1.       Prioritizing Safety and Liability Over Second-Life Concepts: As massive volumes of EV batteries reach decommissioning, high cell inconsistency and variable remaining capacities present severe thermal runaway and fire hazards.

2.       Accelerating Direct Dismantling and Material Recycling: The termination of preferential policy support for cascading utilization redirects retired battery flows straight into standardized direct dismantling and hydrometallurgical recycling.

[Carbon Market]

During August 17 – August 21, the total transaction volume of Carbon Emission Allowances (CEA) in the Chinese National Carbon Market reached 4,804,206 tons, with a total transaction value of USD 69,384,221.47. The highest price was USD 14.56/ton, and the lowest price was USD 14.08/ton. For bulk agreement transactions, the volume was 3,505,040 tons, with a transaction value of USD 50,506,272.90.