The 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) is being held in Antalya, Turkey. On the morning of November 13 local time, the side event "China's Energy Transition and New Energy Development -- Green Energy Consumption Practices and Cooperation" at the COP31 "China Pavilion" concluded successfully in Antalya, Turkey.
The event was guided by the New and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration, hosted by the Energy Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, and jointly supported by China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd., the China Industrial Development Promotion Association, the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University, and the Smart Energy Innovation Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and State Power Investment Corporation. As the opening event of "New Energy Day," the side event shared China's energy low-carbon transition research findings and new energy development achievements, held exchanges and discussions on green energy consumption practices and cooperation, and jointly explored pathways to advance the global energy transition.
Liu Zhenmin, China's Special Envoy for Climate Change Affairs; Ole Thonke, Denmark's Climate Ambassador; Li Chuangjun, Director-General of the New and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration; Wang Rui of the Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection Department of the National Development and Reform Commission; and Laura Cozzi, Director of the Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks Division at the International Energy Agency, attended the meeting and delivered remarks. Xiong Minfeng, Deputy Director-General of the International Department of the National Energy Administration, also attended the meeting.
In his remarks, Special Envoy Liu Zhenmin noted that the side event released a series of outcomes represented by "China Energy Transition Outlook 2026," comprehensively presenting China's energy low-carbon transition practices and new energy development results, with the aim of providing a China solution and contributing China's wisdom to the global energy transition. He stated that China has always been a participant, contributor, and leader in the global energy transition. China will continue to work with all parties to deepen international cooperation in new energy products, technologies, standards, and other fields, leverage bilateral and multilateral climate and energy cooperation platforms to promote the free flow of high-quality green energy technologies and products, steadily advance the global low-carbon energy transition, and join hands in addressing climate change challenges.
Danish Climate Ambassador Ole Thonke introduced Denmark's latest progress in energy transition and the achievements of Denmark-China cooperation in green transition, noting that "China Energy Transition Outlook 2026" is a product of close cooperation between the two countries and expressing hope that the research findings will provide guidance for energy transition in both countries and the broader international community.
Li Chuangjun, Director-General of the New and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration, pointed out that China firmly supports renewable energy development, has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, is accelerating the construction of the world's largest green energy consumption system, and is helping global green transition through products, solutions, and experience. He stated that China is willing to cooperate with all countries to ensure that green outcomes benefit people fairly, promote employment through green industries, benefit livelihoods through green electricity, and serve the world through climate action.
Wang Rui of the Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection Department of the National Development and Reform Commission noted that China has consistently adhered to the principle of conservation first, treating energy conservation and carbon reduction as important levers for advancing carbon peaking and carbon neutrality and accelerating the comprehensive green transition of economic and social development. China has solidly advanced energy conservation and carbon reduction work, promoted reductions in energy and resource consumption per unit of output and carbon emissions, and achieved positive results. Wang Rui stated that the international community must maintain confidence in green and low-carbon development, and that China is willing to share practical experience with all countries, strengthen technological and industrial cooperation, and contribute China's wisdom, solutions, and strength to global green and low-carbon development.
Laura Cozzi, Director of the Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks Division at the International Energy Agency, congratulated China on its achievements in renewable energy development and expressed hope that the experience summarized in "China Energy Transition Outlook 2026" can provide a reference for developing countries to accelerate their transitions.
Lv Wenbin, Director-General of the Energy Research Institute, noted while chairing the meeting that accelerating the construction of a new energy system is a major decision by China to grasp the broader trends in global energy development and implement a new energy security strategy, and is a deployment requirement for promoting high-quality energy development and building an energy powerhouse. Looking ahead, China will continuously deepen international cooperation on energy transition, jointly shape a fair, just, balanced, and inclusive global energy governance system, and contribute China's wisdom and solutions to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
During the results release session, Bai Quan, Director of the Energy Efficiency Center at the Energy Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, released the executive summary of "China Energy Transition Outlook 2026." The report was supported by the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, led by the Energy Research Institute, and jointly developed with the Danish Energy Agency. Combining the latest developments in global and Chinese energy transition, the report analyzed the intrinsic relationship between energy transition and energy security, pointing out that enhancing energy system resilience is an important measure for balancing "green, security, and economy."
The report proposed that in today's world of accelerating global changes, increasingly severe climate crises, and fluctuating risks of various kinds, taking energy transition as a long-term strategy and ensuring economic development and social stability by enhancing energy system resilience has become a consensus among more and more countries. The report noted that to better ensure the smooth advancement of energy transition, coordinated efforts are needed across three dimensions: long-term strategy, daily operations, and emergency response, to comprehensively improve energy system resilience.
First, in the long-term strategy dimension, improving the availability of energy resources. Accelerate the replacement of imported oil and gas with domestic renewable energy, and promote a shift in the ratio of non-fossil energy to fossil energy consumption from "2:8" to "8:2." Promote end-use electrification, pushing oil demand into a downward trajectory after 2026. Second, in the daily operations dimension, enhancing the stability of the power system. Continuously improve the zero-carbon power system's regulation capacity and grid mutual support capacity, and strengthen the coupling between the power system and heating systems, as well as fuel/feedstock preparation systems. Third, in the emergency response dimension, improving the ability to cope with difficult scenarios. For the "difficult moments" of evening peak electricity use and the "difficult days" of consecutive days without wind or weak sunlight, it is necessary to leverage local power regulation capabilities such as energy storage, power-to-hydrogen, and vehicle-to-grid interaction, strengthen cross-provincial and cross-regional power transfers, and when necessary, rely on coal power and gas power as a backstop to firmly safeguard the electricity supply.
Yin Jun, Director of the Comprehensive Division of the New and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration, released the "China Green Certificate Development Report." The report comprehensively introduced the latest progress and achievements of China's green certificates in issuance, trading, application, international cooperation, and system development, with a focus on improving the green certificate institutional system, enhancing the quality and efficiency of green certificate issuance, strengthening the vitality of the green certificate market, expanding green certificate application scenarios, advancing international mutual recognition of green certificates, and reinforcing systemic support and safeguards.
Zheng Zhaohui, Vice President of the China Industrial Development Promotion Association and Chairman of the Biomass Energy Industry Branch, released the "China Green Fuel Development Report 2026." The report noted that China's green fuel policy framework has been initially established, with a clear hierarchy and strong support. As of the end of 2025, China has built green fuel production capacity totaling approximately 8 million tons per year of oil equivalent, forming a diversified pattern of "traditional biofuels as the foundation, with emerging green fuels growing rapidly."
During the keynote speech session, Liu Qiong, Director of the National Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction Center, shared China's practices and achievements in energy conservation and carbon reduction supporting green energy transition. Huang Zhen, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Founding Dean of the Smart Energy Innovation Institute at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, introduced new challenges and new opportunities facing new energy development. Wang Bo, Vice President of China Energy Engineering International Group, shared China's practices in accelerating energy transition and renewable energy development based on the company's actual experience. Ole Emmik Sorensen, Director of the Global Cooperation Center at the Danish Energy Agency, introduced power system reliability and resilience in the energy transition process. Wu Guosheng, Party Secretary and Director of the Standing Committee of the Quzhou Municipal People's Congress, shared Quzhou's experience and practices in carbon account reform. Peng Tianduo, Director of Transportation and Industry Research at the Institute of Climate Change at Tsinghua University, shared research on the recycling and reuse of retired new energy equipment.
The expert discussion session was chaired by Li Zheng, Dean of the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University. Wang Yi, Researcher at the Institutes of Science and Development of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Wang Siqiang, President of the China Electric Power Construction Enterprise Association; Lei Hongpeng, Deputy Director of the Climate Change Division at the United Nations Environment Programme; Zhu Liyang, President of the China Circular Economy Association; and Simon Sharpe, Director of Economics at the UN Climate Action Champions organization, exchanged views and held discussions on green energy consumption practices and cooperation.
Comments