Key challenges for the establishment of the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) system in China's national carbon emissions trading market.

An effective system for monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) is the cornerstone of any carbon emissions trading market. This paper analyses existing MRV frameworks in China, including under the seven emission trading pilot schemes, to identify four key challenges for the establishment of an effective MRV system for China's forthcoming national carbon emissions trading market: (1) ambiguity in the legal status of relevant policies and regulations, (2) unclear requirements for the content of monitoring plans, (3) lack of consistency and harmonization in accounting and reporting guidelines, and (4) lack of information technology (IT). The paper then considers the experiences and lessons of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) and the MRV systems in the seven carbon emissions trading pilots, and puts forward suggestions for tackling the four key challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]