On March 24, 2018, Energy Foundation CEO and CO-founder Eric Heitz attended the annual China Development Forum as a formal delegate and addressed its Economic Summit Parallel Session—Climate Change and Carbon Trading. He joined officials and experts from China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the Development Research Center of the State Council, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen Emissions Exchange, the Children's Investment Fund Foundation, and the Environmental Defense Fund in sharing their insights into carbon markets and international climate governance.

Drawing from research and pilots Energy Foundation has since 2008 supported on market tools like carbon trading and other emissions reduction policies, Mr. Heitz stressed the importance of integrating the trading system with other climate policies. Carbon markets can bring additional economic incentives when we try to fight air pollution and improve the environment, and there is an unprecedented challenge of running a national emissions trading system while pushing forward China’s ongoing power sector reform. The current regulated electricity pricing and carbon pricing will influence each other, thus discussions on either topic should be coordinated and leveraged with the other one.