Establishing China’s First Carbon Footprint Standards for the Wine Industry: The Ningxia Model

The Ningxia Clean Development Mechanism Environmental Protection Service Center LLC is a regional climate action agency established in 2011, based in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. As one of the first organizations in western China dedicated to carbon emissions management and environmental service innovation, the Center plays a key role in advancing the nation’s “Dual Carbon” strategy—achieving carbon peaking before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060.

The Center specializes in carbon footprint accounting, carbon asset development, low-carbon standard formulation, and rural sustainability transformation. It serves as a technical backbone for regional governments, agricultural producers, and ecological industry clusters seeking to understand, measure, and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Its multidisciplinary team brings together expertise in environmental science, LCA (life cycle assessment), viticulture, climate policy, and sustainable supply chain innovation.

In 2022, the Center was selected as the lead institution for a major R&D program funded by the Ningxia Science and Technology Department. The project was launched in the Helan Mountain East Foothill region—China’s premier wine-producing area—with the mission to build a localized, scientifically robust carbon footprint evaluation and carbon asset development system tailored for the wine industry.

Under the leadership of Dr. Liqin Zhang, the team completed extensive field research across 18 wineries, developed LCA-based carbon emission models for both wine grape cultivation and wine production, and published two groundbreaking local standards (DB64/T 2089-2024 and DB64/T 2085-2024), filling a national gap in carbon accounting for agricultural products. The team also created a UNFCCC-aligned carbon inclusion methodology, enabling vineyards to convert carbon sequestration potential into tradable carbon credits.

Their work not only supports Ningxia’s green transformation but also helps local producers respond to international regulations like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The project has been endorsed by COP29, featured at national climate forums, and is recognized as a model for integrating technical innovation, market mechanisms, and rural revitalization in a single framework.