A theoretical review and industrial practice of carbon emission monitoring methods

Against the backdrop of global climate change， the issue of greenhouse gas emissions， primarily CO2， has become increasingly prominent. As a major carbon emitter， China holds a critical position in carbon reduction efforts. The primary task of emissions reduction is to improve the carbon emission monitoring system. To address this， this paper begins by delineating the concepts and main theories associated with carbon emission monitoring. It presents a summary of six major carbon emission monitoring methods—emission factor method， material balance method， and satellite detection method—through both “bottom-up” and “top-down” perspectives. Based on this， the paper compares the strengths and weaknesses of these methods and outlines their applicable scopes. Furthermore， specific case studies from industrial practices are used to analyze the effectiveness of these methods across various industrial sectors. Finally， the paper offers an outlook on carbon monitoring methods from both a technological and policy-regulatory perspective.