As the climate crisis intensifies, nations and regions increasingly recognize that only coordinated efforts can ensure global climate security and sustainable development.

 

Since its entry into China in 1999, Energy Foundation China (EF China) has been committed to fostering dialogue on energy transition between China and the international community. EF China prioritizes the building of bridges for exchange and cooperation, engaging China and the world in united climate action. By integrating global insights and expertise, EF China not only provides advice for China’s energy transition but also actively shares the country’s experiences and challenges in low-carbon development on the international stage, in an effort to raise global climate ambition and accelerate collective climate action.

Sharing Global Expertise to Advance Low-Carbon Transition in China and the World

In recent years, China has made significant progress in low-carbon transition and contributed to global climate action, though it continues to face many complex challenges. “Since starting our work in China, EF China has been dedicated to facilitating exchanges and dialogue with the international community,” noted Jia’nan Xin, the Chief of Staff at EF China. “Since 2018, we have strengthened this commitment by partnering with the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), the country’s foremost platform for international dialogue and cooperation on environmental development. Through this partnership, we have built a communication bridge that connects leading experts from various fields and across China, the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa, enabling them to exchange insights and deepen mutual understanding. Our goal is to support China’s low-carbon transition by drawing on a breadth of global expertise, while actively sharing China’s experiences and challenges in green development with the world.”

 

The CCICED “Taskforce on China’s Pathways for Achieving Carbon Neutrality and Global Climate Governance” conducts in-depth research on key issues related to China’s clean, low-carbon development and global climate governance, delivering its findings and recommendations to the CCICED in an annual report. Over the past six years, as an international co-lead of the Taskforce, EF China has worked with leading experts in climate, energy, finance, and trade worldwide to systematically examine key topics such as pathways for China’s green and low-carbon transition and policy implementation, global green trade and supply chains, climate finance, and energy transitions in developing countries. These efforts have yielded forward-looking insights and policy recommendations that are shared with policymakers, providing valuable international perspectives for policies on China’s carbon peaking and neutrality pathways, overseas green investments, and the “dual-control” of carbon emissions – the reduction of carbon emission intensity per unit of GDP and total carbon emissions.

In addition to conducting research, EF China has also partnered with CCICED and other organizations to bring together global experts from diverse fields, facilitating broader discussions on critical issues concerning climate action in China and the globe. Over the past six years, more than 100 experts from various countries and regions have shared insights and experiences related to low-carbon and sustainable growth, significantly enhancing mutual understanding and cross-sectoral engagement between China and the international community. These discussions have not only enriched CCICED’s climate-focused research but also offered diverse perspectives and recommendations for shaping low-carbon transition policies both in China and globally.

 

In addition to its collaboration with the CCICED, EF China also focuses key bilateral relationships—such as U.S.-China and EU-China—organizing events to foster targeted communication and constructive climate engagement. These include the U.S.-China Roundtable on Accelerating Renewable Energy Development, the China-EU Dialogue on Low-Carbon Transition Cooperation Opportunities in Transportation, the China-France Climate Cooperation Seminar, and the China-Germany Workshop on High Penetration of Renewable Energy Grid Integration. These events are intended to strengthen communication and understanding among major economies, create collaboration opportunities in global energy transition and climate governance, and provide robust support for advancing global climate action.

Supporting Southeast Asia’s Green Development with China’s Experience and Challenges in Low-Carbon Transition

The Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identifies Southeast Asia as one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change. Despite this reality, fossil fuel consumption, as a major contributor to climate change, continues to rise in the region, exacerbating climate risks. According to the Southeast Asia Energy Outlook 2022 by the International Energy Agency (IEA), “Southeast Asia’s reliance on fossil fuels to meet rising demand for energy is proving to be a significant vulnerability in today’s energy crisis.” In response to rising climate and energy challenges in recent years, Southeast Asian countries have stepped up their efforts toward a green transition. However, significant obstacles remain in advancing low-carbon policies, technology deployment, and funding solutions.

 

Many Southeast Asian nations are seeing rising demand for cooling, with cooling-related energy consumption already exceeding 50% (and climbing) of total electricity demand in some countries. “China has extensive experience in enhancing cooling efficiency standards and has implemented a national cooling action plan, which may serve as a reference for Southeast Asia,” remarked Wei Han, Program Director of International Cooperation at EF China. “This approach has also received strong support from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).” Since 2018, EF China and UNESCAP have worked together to develop methodologies for national cooling action plans based on China’s experience. This effort laid the groundwork for the formulation and implementation of the National Cooling Action Plan in Cambodia and Indonesia, facilitating the clean development of their cooling sectors. In 2019, EF China further strengthened its partnership with UNESCAP by signing a strategic cooperation memorandum, initiating close engagement in sustainable cooling, renewable energy development, end-use electrification, and Sustainable Development Goals 7 (affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy) and 13 (climate action). Through supporting joint research and knowledge exchange on these critical topics, EF China and UNESCAP provided tailored analytical and technical support to inform policymakers at regional and national levels, adapting China’s experiences and challenges to meet Southeast Asia’s unique needs. This partnership has played an active role in driving local energy transitions and green development across the region.

 

In 2020, EF China formed a partnership with the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), a key institution in Southeast Asia’s energy sector, to provide technical and intellectual support for low-carbon infrastructure and sustainable energy investment across the region. Over the past two years, the two organizations have worked with experts across fields to develop the 2025 ASEAN Energy Investment Capacity Building Roadmap and the 2024 ASEAN Energy Investment Report. These initiatives aim to help ASEAN countries identify the most promising low-carbon investment opportunities and specific needs, laying a scientific groundwork for attracting funding to accelerate local low-carbon transitions. These efforts also serve as critical references for setting energy transition goals for the next five to ten years in the region. At the same time, EF China and ACE have convened a series of workshops, engaging stakeholders from government departments, industry, research institutions, and international financial organizations. These workshops have facilitated in-depth discussions on investment and financing opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for Southeast Asia’s energy transition, creating a platform to foster further cooperation among key institutions.

The IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2024 indicates that fossil fuels still account for 80% of global energy demand, with greenhouse gas emissions reaching an all-time high in 2023. This trend underscores the urgent need for countries to elevate their climate ambitions and accelerate actions to meet the temperature goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. EF China remains committed to fostering pragmatic exchanges and cooperation that bridge China’s experiences and insights with global expertise in low-carbon transition and climate action, driving progress toward achieving global climate goals.