QC/T 1249-2025Greenhouse gases - Quantification methods and requirements for product carbon footprint - Passenger cars (English PDF)

3.1 Carbon footprint of a product (CFP)

The sum of GHG emissions and GHG removals in a product system, expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents, assessed based on a single environmental impact type: climate change. [Source: GB/T 24067-2024, 3.1.1]

3.2 Partial carbon footprint of a product (Partial CFP)

The sum of GHG emissions and GHG removals during one or more selected stages or processes within the product's life cycle, expressed in carbon dioxide equivalents. [Source: GB/T 24067-2024, 3.1.2]

3.3 Process emission

Greenhouse gas emissions caused by physical or chemical changes other than fuel combustion during production, waste treatment, disposal processes. [Source: GB/T 32150-2015, 3.8]

3.18 Biomass material

Biomass-derived materials, excluding materials buried in geological structures and materials transformed into fossil materials.

EXAMPLE: trees, crops, grass, tree debris, algae, animals, bio-fertilizers, etc.

3.19 Virgin materials

Virgin materials obtained from nature for the first time without any prior utilization.

3.20 Recycled materials

Materials that have lost their original use value but have been processed to regain it. [Source: GB/T 26989-2011, 2.4.10]

3.21 Homogeneous materials

Parts or components that cannot be further disassembled by mechanical methods (such as unscrewing, cutting, rolling, scraping, grinding, etc.) and whose components are composed of the same material. [Source: GB/T 30512-2014, 3.1]

6.1 Functional unit or declared unit

The transportation service provided by a passenger car traveling 1 km over its life cycle is calculated as 1.5 x 10^5 km.

6.2 Accounting boundaries

6.2.1 Accounting boundary setting

6.2.1.1 The selection of the accounting boundary for passenger car products shall be consistent with the purpose of the carbon footprint study; the criteria used to establish the accounting boundary, such as trade-off criteria, shall be clearly defined.

7.1 Data collection and verification

7.1.1 General rules

7.1.1.1 For all unit processes within the system boundary, qualitative and quantitative data shall be collected and included in the lifecycle inventory. This data, obtained through measurement, calculation, or estimation, is used to quantify the inputs and outputs of the unit processes. See Appendix B for relevant process data collection tables.

7.1.1.2 For data that may significantly impact the research conclusions, detailed information on the data collection process, collection time, data quality shall be provided. If this data does not meet the data quality requirements (see 7.1.6), this shall also be explained.

7.1.2 Activity data

7.1.2.1 Activity data can be obtained through instrument readings, purchasing records, financial statements, direct monitoring, quality balance, or other methods of collecting data from specific activities within the company's value chain. Furthermore, the company's internal systems shall be understood, including data update frequency, units, formats, the availability of forecast values. Potential changes and their future impact on the accounting system shall be anticipated, meanwhile data availability within the annual accounting cycle shall be considered, to ensure that high-quality data is collected at the right time for further calculations.

7.1.2.2 In addition to the quantified values of activity data, relevant attribute values of purchased goods also need to be collected. Primary attributes refer to direct material attributes (such as material name and model), while secondary attributes further describe indirect characteristics (such as year, supplier country, supplier name, supplier number). These attribute parameters are used to reflect the activity data in the carbon emission factor; the data is then analyzed and interpreted.

7.1.3 Carbon emission factor

7.1.3.1 When collecting carbon emission factor data, passenger car companies can establish an internal order for collecting primary carbon emission factor data.

7.1.3.2 When collecting carbon emission factors, priority shall be given to collecting primary data from suppliers at all levels, followed by a gradual increase in the collection of primary carbon emission factor data from other suppliers. The carbon emission factor data collection process is shown in Table 3.