[en] Highlights: • CO₂ emissions from the central heating supply system in China increased from 189.04 Tg to 319.39 Tg from 2006 to 2015. • Coal-fire heating boiler plants represent the main source of emissions in China. • Regions with large central heating areas, durations and coverages always produced more CO₂ emissions. • CO₂ emissions in 2025 will be 520.97 Tg, 308.79 Tg and 191.86 Tg under the business as usual, positive and optimal scenarios. Policies associated with the central heating supply system affect the livelihoods of people in China. With the extensive consumption of energy for central heating, large quantities of CO₂ emissions are produced each year. Coal-fired heating boiler plants are the primary source of emissions; however, thermal power plants are becoming much more prevalent, and gas-fired heating boiler plants remain uncommon. This study quantified the amount of CO₂ emitted from the central heating supply system in China using a mass balance method with updated emission factors from the IPCC. Emissions increased from 189.04 Tg to 319.39 Tg between 2006 and 2015. From a spatial perspective, regions with larger central heating areas, durations and coverages produced more CO₂ emissions. The central heating method depends on the level of electric power consumption, policies and regulations, and resource reserves at the local scale. Compared with the use of only coal-fired heating boiler plants to provide central heating, using thermal power plants and gas-fired heating boiler plants reduced CO₂ emissions by 98.19 Tg in 2015 in China. A comparison of the CO₂ emissions under various central heating scenarios showed that emissions will be 520.97 Tg, 308.79 Tg and 191.86 Tg for business as usual, positive and optimal scenarios through 2025, respectively. China has acknowledged the considerable potential for reducing central heating and will make efforts to pursue improved heating strategies in the future.