Abstract: Objectives Under the background of the “double-carbon” target, thermal power is facing great pressure to reduce emissions. Thermal power carbon footprint evaluation can directly show the greenhouse gas emissions of thermal power and help tap the potential of carbon reduction.Therefore, the research status of thermal power carbon footprint assessment was reviewed. Methods This paper introduced the main standards and methods for thermal power footprint evaluation, and summarized the thermal power footprint evaluation process. The differences in the evaluation process were reviewed and some suggestions were given. The life cycle is divided into upstream, core and downstream.According to the high concentration of carbon emissions in the core links, the carbon footprint of the construction,decommissioning and power transmission of coal-fired power plants can be ignored in some cases. Conclusions The life cycle of different types of thermal power generation is similar,but the carbon footprint of waste incineration power generation does not include the acquisition process of domestic waste. Regardless of the form of thermal power, in the absence of measured emission factors, it is recommended that the emission factors select the default values of the published standards, literature and databases at home and abroad.