There are new adjustments to the energy-saving review system; the National Development and Reform Commission issued Order No. 31.

To implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, establish a new mechanism for the comprehensive transition from dual control of energy consumption to dual control of carbon emissions, better adapt to the needs of energy saving and carbon reduction under the new situation, and strengthen the management of energy consumption and carbon emissions in fixed asset investment projects, the National Development and Reform Commission recently revised and issued "Measures for Energy-saving Review and Carbon Emission Evaluation of Fixed Asset Investment Projects" (Order No. 31 of 2025 of the National Development and Reform Commission, hereinafter referred to as the "Measures").

Next, the National Development and Reform Commission will continue to strengthen work guidance and supervision, promote the implementation of the "Measures" by all relevant parties, better play the role of energy-saving review and carbon emission evaluation as a gatekeeper at the source, resolutely curb the blind and disorderly launch of high energy-consuming and high-emission projects, solidly promote the adjustment and optimization of industrial and energy structures, and accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development.

The "Measures" will come into effect on September 1, 2025, and the original "Measures for Energy-saving Review of Fixed Asset Investment Projects" (Order No. 2 of 2023 of the National Development and Reform Commission) will be repealed simultaneously.

Answer: Energy-saving review refers to the behavior of reviewing fixed asset investment projects' energy consumption, energy efficiency levels, and energy-saving measures according to energy-saving laws, regulations, policies, and standards, and forming review opinions. The "Energy Conservation Law of the People's Republic of China" stipulates that the state implements an energy-saving assessment and review system for fixed asset investment projects. In 2010, the National Development and Reform Commission issued the "Interim Measures for Energy-saving Assessment and Review of Fixed Asset Investment Projects," which was revised twice in 2016 and 2023 to further optimize system design and improve review effectiveness. Since the establishment and implementation of the energy-saving review system, it has played an important role in improving energy utilization efficiency and promoting industrial quality upgrading, strongly promoting high-quality economic and social development.

First, reduce energy waste and carbon dioxide emissions from the source. Energy-saving review, based on energy-saving policies, systems, laws, and standards, guides project construction units to optimize project energy management mechanisms before construction starts, improve process technology design and selection of energy-saving and efficient equipment, effectively reducing unreasonable energy consumption and improving energy utilization efficiency. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan, energy-saving reviews nationwide have effectively reduced unreasonable design energy consumption of projects by about 14 million tons of standard coal annually, equivalent to reducing nearly 30 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Second, promote industrial transformation and upgrading. Energy-saving review strictly controls projects' energy efficiency levels, energy consumption, energy-saving measures, and implementation impacts, strengthens coordination with industrial regulation, ecological protection, and resource utilization policies, guides and promotes localities to strictly control new project admission conditions, deeply demonstrate the necessity and feasibility of project launches, promote the flow and allocation of energy elements to low-consumption and high-efficiency industries and projects, and strongly promote high-quality industrial development.

Third, promote energy-saving and efficiency improvement of energy users. Energy-saving review opinions issued by energy-saving review authorities at all levels are important bases for the production and operation of fixed asset investment projects. By urging and guiding project construction units to strictly implement energy-saving review opinions, synchronously strengthening energy efficiency diagnosis, process technology promotion, and other energy-saving services, comprehensively investigating and promoting the resolution of prominent energy utilization problems and weak links during project production and operation, deeply tapping energy-saving and carbon reduction potential, and helping energy users achieve cost reduction and efficiency improvement.

Answer: Since last year, the Party Central Committee and the State Council have made a series of new deployments for energy saving and carbon reduction work. The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party proposed "establishing a new mechanism for the comprehensive transition from dual control of energy consumption to dual control of carbon emissions." The State Council issued the "2024-2025 Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction Action Plan," requiring "establishing a dynamic adjustment mechanism for energy-saving review authority for major projects, studying the centralized collection of energy-saving review authority for certain key industries' super-large projects according to the mechanism, strengthening supervision during and after energy-saving review; incorporating carbon emission evaluation requirements into the energy-saving review of fixed asset investment projects, conducting comprehensive evaluation of project energy use and carbon emissions." The General Office of the State Council issued the "Work Plan for Accelerating the Construction of a Carbon Emission Dual Control System," proposing "incorporating carbon emission evaluation requirements into the energy-saving review of fixed asset investment projects, conducting comprehensive evaluation of project energy use and carbon emissions," all of which put forward new and higher requirements for energy-saving review work.

At the same time, the energy-saving review system has encountered some problems and difficulties in practice. Some system provisions are not rigid or detailed enough, and there are weak links in mechanisms such as strengthening project source control and supervision during and after the process. Some places have also encountered problems in system implementation, urgently needing to be addressed through revision of the measures. To better adapt to the new situation, new tasks, and new requirements, and better guide relevant parties to do a good job in energy-saving review and carbon emission evaluation, we have revised and issued the "Measures."

Answer: The "Measures" implement the deployment requirements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council on energy saving and carbon reduction, further improve relevant system provisions, and focus on enhancing management effectiveness. The main revisions include the following aspects.

First, incorporate carbon emission evaluation and coal consumption management requirements into the energy-saving review system. Considering the high correlation between energy saving and carbon reduction, and focusing on coal as the main influencing factor of carbon peaking, this revision incorporates project carbon emission evaluation, coal consumption control, and reduction requirements into the scope of energy-saving review, conducting comprehensive review and evaluation of project energy use and carbon emissions, and simultaneously modifying the document name.

Second, establish a dynamic adjustment mechanism for energy-saving review authority. Comprehensively considering the energy saving and carbon reduction situation, industry development, and other factors, the National Development and Reform Commission conducts energy-saving reviews and carbon emission evaluations for major projects in key areas, and refines specific requirements such as review procedures.

Third, improve relevant provisions on supervision and management during and after energy-saving review. Require departments managing energy-saving work to strengthen supervision and management of energy-saving review implementation, clarify specific situations and handling methods such as major project changes and failure to implement energy-saving review opinions, strengthen project energy-saving review acceptance management requirements, and improve relevant legal responsibility provisions.

Answer: To promote the implementation of the energy-saving review system, the National Development and Reform Commission will work with relevant parties to focus on the following key tasks.

First, strengthen policy promotion. Adopt comprehensive methods such as special training and field research to enhance the interpretation of the "Measures" and guidance on energy-saving review work, helping local energy-saving review agencies, energy service organizations, project construction units, and other related entities accurately grasp the core essence and policy provisions of the "Measures" to ensure the system is implemented without deviation.

Second, improve the business guidelines. Organize with relevant parties to compile and promptly release a series of work guidelines and standards for energy-saving review, detailing specific arrangements and requirements for energy-saving report preparation, energy-saving evaluation, energy-saving review acceptance, carbon emission assessment, and clarifying the work processes.

Third, strengthen dynamic management. Regularly monitor the implementation of energy-saving reviews in various regions, conduct spot checks on the implementation of energy-saving review opinions for major projects and energy-saving review acceptance, urge and guide departments at all levels responsible for energy management to strengthen supervision during and after the energy-saving review process, and regularly conduct "retrospective reviews" of the energy-saving review system to ensure effective implementation.