中文摘要：

减少CO2等温室气体排放，遏阻气候变暖趋势，是当今国际社会关注的焦点，也是学术界研究的热点。碳足迹分析方法是目前国内外普遍认可的应用于应对气候变化、解决定量评价碳排放强度的研究方法。采用文献、列举、归纳等研究方法，对碳足迹概念内涵、计算方法、碳足迹评估的国内外研究现状进行了评述。对未来碳足迹的研究从评估方法、计算边界、重点研究行业与领域、碳足迹补偿机制、研究尺度、碳足迹的科学利用六方面进行了展望。有利于学术界对碳足迹的研究现状、存在不足及未来研究方向有一个客观、全面的认识，推进碳足迹研究向纵深发展；可为构建发展低碳经济的机制、政策与法律体系提供科学依据，有利于“两型社会”建设与可持续发展战略的推进：也可提升公众低碳消费意识．实现理念上由传统的以碳基燃料为特征的工业文明向以清洁能源为特征的生态文明的转变。

英文摘要：

Reducing greenhouse gas emission and decreasing global warming are currently primary research focus in international society, and also are the key research issuees in academic area. Carbon footprint analysis has become a generally accepted new approach for addressing climate change and elucidating quantitative evaluation on carbon emission intensity at home and abroad. This paper reviewes the present status and the trend of domestic and international studies of the connotation and calculation method of carbon footprint, evaluation of carbon footprint. It discusses the perspectives for future research in the area of carbon footprint from assessment method, calculation borders, major enterprises and area, eco-compensation mechanism of carbon footprint, research scales and scientific use of carbon footprint. It is useful to understand the present status and the trend. It can provide scientific foundation to construct the mechanism of low carbon economy, policy and legal system, which is beneficial for the ＂two-based society＂ construction and the advancement of sustainable development strategies.