China is aggressively pursuing the development of low-carbon economic zones, and while there has been substantial work to define targets and indicators for achieving greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, there is now a need to provide guidance and tools to help the zones transition. GHG inventories for industrial and commercial facilities are an essential component of the transition to low-carbon operations as they provide the foundation for identifying abatement opportunities while measuring and assessing progress towards achieving facility-level GHG targets. A GHG inventory system that provides for frequent, accurate, consistent, complete and transparent reporting is crucial to the success of these low-carbon policies and central to industries transitioning to low-carbon operations. This policy brief presents a collaborative approach between the economic zones that have the authority to manage and report GHG emissions and the companies that must deliver. The approach is based on best practices and formal standards for GHG inventory development.