This study provides a comprehensive analysis of China's carbon emissions from 2020 to 2021, including both territorial and consumption-based emissions. It compiles the latest CO₂ emission inventories for China and its 30 provinces, following the administrative-territorial approach from the IPCC. The study covers energy-related emissions from 17 types of fossil fuel combustion and cement production across 47 economic sectors. It also estimates consumption-based emissions in China, revealing the dynamic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on carbon emissions. The pandemic led to a 50% reduction in the growth rate of territorial emissions in 2020 compared to 2019, but this trend reversed in 2021 as lockdown measures eased. The study highlights the impact of the rapid expansion of exports on widening the differences between territorial- and consumption-based emissions. It offers a blueprint for designing strategies towards carbon peak and neutrality, especially in the context of sustainable recoveries and carbon mitigation post-pandemic. The study also reveals that China's per capita CO₂ emissions have tripled between 2000 and 2021, surpassing the figures of the UK and the EU from 2013 onwards. The study provides a detailed analysis of emissions by economic sectors, showing that the Production and Supply of Electric Power, Steam and Hot Water remains the most substantial emitter in 2021. The study also compares the differences between consumption-based and territorial-based emissions, showing that exports surpass imports, contributing significantly to China's increasing carbon emissions. The study also examines the changes in provincial-territorial emissions during the COVID-19 pandemic, showing that nearly two-thirds of China’s provinces reduced their CO₂ emissions in 2020, but this trend shifted in 2021 with most provinces exhibiting a surge in emissions. The study also discusses the challenges in estimating emission inventory, including the lack of an official continuous emission inventory and inconsistencies in emission databases. The study also highlights the importance of accurate carbon emission accounting for assessing the pandemic's impact and shaping future strategies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality. The study provides a comprehensive dataset for China's CO₂ emission changes, revealing the heterogeneous impact of the pandemic on emissions across China's 30 provinces and 47 economic sectors. The study also discusses the importance of energy and economic structural changes in achieving emission reduction targets, emphasizing the need for transitioning towards cleaner and more sustainable energy systems. The study concludes that China's energy structure has improved in the past two decades, but it still heavily relies on fossil fuels, and transitioning towards cleaner and more sustainable energy systems is essential. The study also highlights the importance of international cooperation in achieving emission reduction targets, as emphasized at the COP28 conference. The study provides a comprehensive analysis of China's carbon emissions patterns, offering insights into the emission changes during the pandemic and enriching the existing emissions data for China andThis study provides a comprehensive analysis of China's carbon emissions from 2020 to 2021, including both territorial and consumption-based emissions. It compiles the latest CO₂ emission inventories for China and its 30 provinces, following the administrative-territorial approach from the IPCC. The study covers energy-related emissions from 17 types of fossil fuel combustion and cement production across 47 economic sectors. It also estimates consumption-based emissions in China, revealing the dynamic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on carbon emissions. The pandemic led to a 50% reduction in the growth rate of territorial emissions in 2020 compared to 2019, but this trend reversed in 2021 as lockdown measures eased. The study highlights the impact of the rapid expansion of exports on widening the differences between territorial- and consumption-based emissions. It offers a blueprint for designing strategies towards carbon peak and neutrality, especially in the context of sustainable recoveries and carbon mitigation post-pandemic. The study also reveals that China's per capita CO₂ emissions have tripled between 2000 and 2021, surpassing the figures of the UK and the EU from 2013 onwards. The study provides a detailed analysis of emissions by economic sectors, showing that the Production and Supply of Electric Power, Steam and Hot Water remains the most substantial emitter in 2021. The study also compares the differences between consumption-based and territorial-based emissions, showing that exports surpass imports, contributing significantly to China's increasing carbon emissions. The study also examines the changes in provincial-territorial emissions during the COVID-19 pandemic, showing that nearly two-thirds of China’s provinces reduced their CO₂ emissions in 2020, but this trend shifted in 2021 with most provinces exhibiting a surge in emissions. The study also discusses the challenges in estimating emission inventory, including the lack of an official continuous emission inventory and inconsistencies in emission databases. The study also highlights the importance of accurate carbon emission accounting for assessing the pandemic's impact and shaping future strategies aimed at achieving carbon neutrality. The study provides a comprehensive dataset for China's CO₂ emission changes, revealing the heterogeneous impact of the pandemic on emissions across China's 30 provinces and 47 economic sectors. The study also discusses the importance of energy and economic structural changes in achieving emission reduction targets, emphasizing the need for transitioning towards cleaner and more sustainable energy systems. The study concludes that China's energy structure has improved in the past two decades, but it still heavily relies on fossil fuels, and transitioning towards cleaner and more sustainable energy systems is essential. The study also highlights the importance of international cooperation in achieving emission reduction targets, as emphasized at the COP28 conference. The study provides a comprehensive analysis of China's carbon emissions patterns, offering insights into the emission changes during the pandemic and enriching the existing emissions data for China and