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Carbon footprint

Carbon prices, CBAM and accounting methods: one subject, told by the EU and by China.

Topic · data as_of 2026-10-13 · six topics, 2,415 records total

37 recordsstructured records in this topic
A-grade 73.0%confidence A share (27/37)
2026-10-12data updated (data.json exported_at)

Key figures

Every figure has its own anchor, source line and as_of — citable on its own.

CBAM regulation adopted · 2023 · tbm-021CBAM regulation adopted2023 · tbm-021Transitional phase begins · tbm-022Transitional phase beginstbm-022Simplification package · 2025 · tbm-024Simplification package2025 · tbm-024Default values & mark-ups · tbm-034Default values & mark-…tbm-034Amending regulation · tbm-025Amending regulationtbm-025Comprehensive package · tbm-026Comprehensive packagetbm-026Definitive regime starts · 2026 · tbm-023Definitive regime starts2026 · tbm-023Price tied to EU ETS auctions · tbm-030Price tied to EU ETS aucti…tbm-030Six product groups covered · tbm-032Six product groups coveredtbm-032Third-country carbon price credit · tbm-033Third-country carbon price…tbm-033tbm-035 · tbm-035tbm-035tbm-035Certificate sales start · 2027 · tbm-027Certificate sales start2027 · tbm-027
When does CBAM start charging?
14 milestones: the transitional phase began 2023-10-01, the definitive regime started 2026-01-01, certificate sales begin 2027-02-01 and the first annual declaration and surrender is due 2027-09-30. Each node links to a record ID.
Source: European Commission CBAM pages · Trustbase Lab domain_benchmarks · confidence A · as_of 2026-10
Anchor: #fig-en-cbam-timeline · trustbaselab.com/en/carbon/
Two markets, two currencies, two allowance systems — no conversion, no shared axisEU ETS · EUR 84.75EUR/tCO2 spot settlement, 2026…China national ETS · CNY 8…CNY/t Jan–Aug 2026 average, ra…
Can China's and the EU's carbon prices be compared directly?
No — and we do not convert currencies (a conversion would need an unsourced FX rate and date). The mechanisms differ too: China's 2024 allowances equalled verified emissions; 2025/2026 allowances are allocated on carbon intensity, while the EU caps and auctions. Placing 84.75 and 83.86 on one axis would itself mislead.
Source: EEX · Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange · Trustbase Lab tbm-035 / tbm-038 · confidence A · as_of 2026-10
Anchor: #fig-en-carbon-price · trustbaselab.com/en/carbon/
overall median 84.75EU ETS · EUA (EUR/tCO2)84.75EUR per tonne CO2 — three readings on one comparable axisLow → High
Four EU carbon prices? Look again — there are three
EU-side readings are all in EUR/tCO2 and share one axis: EUA spot settlement 84.75 (2026-09-30, tbm-035), EEX primary auction clearing 86.05 (2026-09-24, tbm-036), and monthly average 83.76 (20 Aug–19 Sep 2026, tbm-037). The often-quoted 'fourth' is the CBAM certificate price, which is a rule anchored to auction prices — not a quote.
Source: EEX · Trustbase Lab tbm-035 / tbm-036 / tbm-037 / tbm-030 · confidence A · as_of 2026-09
Anchor: #fig-en-carbon-eu-ets · trustbaselab.com/en/carbon/
Six product groups; a single 50-tonne mass threshold (except hydrogen and electricity)Cementcovered directly (…Iron & steelcovered directly (…Aluminiumcovered directly (…Fertiliserscovered directly (…Electricitycovered directly (…Hydrogencovered directly (…
What does CBAM cover — and is carbon black inside?
Six product groups are covered directly: cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. Carbon black is not covered today, but the EU plans to extend CBAM to roughly 180 downstream products from 2028 (including automotive parts) — that is the real transmission path to the rCB industry.
Source: Regulation (EU) 2023/956 · Trustbase Lab tbm-032 / rcb-pol-001 · confidence A · as_of 2026-10
Anchor: #fig-en-carbon-scope · trustbaselab.com/en/carbon/

Questions practitioners ask

Six real questions; every answer lands on specific records.

When does CBAM start charging?

The definitive regime starts 2026-01-01; certificate sales begin 2027-02-01; the first declaration is due 2027-09-30.

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Can China's and the EU's carbon prices be compared directly?

No — currencies, allowance mechanisms and covered sectors all differ, and we do not convert.

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Why do people quote four EU carbon prices?

First correct the question: there are three EU-side readings (spot / auction / monthly average); the 'fourth' is an anchoring rule, not a quote.

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Which product groups does CBAM cover?

Six: cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. Carbon black is not covered today; a downstream extension is planned from 2028.

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Which emission-factor set should be used?

ISO 14064 / 14067 and the GHG Protocol sit side by side — choose by purpose; see methodology.

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How do CSRD and CBAM relate?

CSRD is corporate sustainability reporting; CBAM is a declaration obligation — two filing tracks, kept separate in this database.

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Key numbers

All drawn from structured records; basis in parentheses.

37records in this topic
6product groups covered by CBAM
50 tsingle mass threshold
84.75EU ETS spot (EUR/tCO2)
83.86China ETS average (CNY/t)
973 Mtcumulative China ETS volume
14CBAM timeline nodes
4ISO / GHG accounting standards

Records

Record IDNameJurisdictionIssuerEffectiveConfidence
tbm-021CBAM establishing regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/956EUEU Council and European Parlia2023-05-10A
tbm-022CBAM transitional phase begins (1 October 2023)EUEuropean Commission2023-10-01A
tbm-023CBAM definitive regime starts (1 January 2026)EUEuropean Commission2026-01-01A
tbm-024CBAM simplification package (26 February 2025)EUEuropean Commission2025-02-26A
tbm-025CBAM amending regulation (Regulation (EU) 2025/2083)EUEU2025-10-08A
tbm-026Comprehensive CBAM package (December 2025)EUEuropean Commission2025-12A
tbm-027CBAM certificate sales start (1 February 2027)EUEuropean Commission2027-02-01A
tbm-028First annual declaration and certificate surrender deaEUEuropean Commission2027-09-30A
tbm-029From 2027, quarterly purchase of certificates coveringEUEuropean Commission2027A
tbm-030CBAM certificate price tied to EU ETS auction price (qEUEuropean Commission2026-01-01A
tbm-03150-tonne single mass-based threshold (except hydrogen EUEuropean Commission2026-01-01A
tbm-032CBAM covers six product groups: cement, iron and steelEUEuropean Commission2026-01-01A

First 12 in record order; all 37 records are retrievable via MCP.

Next: look up all 37 records in this topic by ID

Every record carries a stable ID, as_of and a confidence grade. Call query_domain_benchmarks through MCP directly, or check each figure above via its anchor.

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Cite & reuse

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Whole page
Trustbase Lab, Carbon footprint (English site, batch E), records tbm-021 … tbm-057 (37 records), as_of 2026-10-13
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Record level
Trustbase Lab, CBAM establishing regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/956), record ID tbm-021, as_of 2023-05-10, confidence A, source: EU Council and European Parliament
EU Council and European Parliament · Legal basis · In force
Record level
Trustbase Lab, CBAM transitional phase begins (1 October 2023), record ID tbm-022, as_of 2023-10-01, confidence A, source: European Commission
European Commission · Policy milestone · Ended
Record level
Trustbase Lab, CBAM definitive regime starts (1 January 2026), record ID tbm-023, as_of 2026-01-01, confidence A, source: European Commission
European Commission · Policy milestone · In force
Machine-readable
MCP: POST https://trustbaselab.com/mcp · tools/call get_benchmark {"id":"tbm-021"} · fact set: https://trustbaselab.com/citations.json
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