Columbia Global Centers | Beijing and the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia SIPA invite you to attend a webinar that will feature key findings of CGEP scholars' recent reports followed by a moderated discussion with Chinese sector experts.
In September 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China would strive to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. The neutrality goal, in particular, was a breakthrough for global climate ambitions: a net-zero target from a country responsible for roughly one-quarter of global GHG emissions, more than any other country.
Meeting these aims, however, will demand a dramatic transformation of China’s economy, and especially of emissions-intensive sectors in energy and heavy industry that have fueled decades of rapid growth. China’s leading firms in these sectors are global giants, responsible for significant shares of GHG emissions in sectors from oil and gas to cement. How are they reacting to the climate challenge?
The Center on Global Energy Policy is preparing to release a pair of reports on this issue. One report, by Dr. Erica Downs, analyzes how Chinese oil and gas firms are preparing for a lower-carbon future. The other report, by Edmund Downie, examines early responses to the peaking and neutrality pledges from Chinese firms in coal power, steel, and cement.
Speakers:
Erica Downs, Senior Research Scholar at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA, focusing on Chinese energy markets and geopolitics.
Edmund (Ned) Downie, Non-Resident Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy working on the political economy of decarbonization, with a focus on Asia.
Jufeng Li, Professor-Level Senior Engineer currently working at the Research Institute of Safety & Environment Technology of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).
Jingmin Wang , Professor and Master Supervisor of Shandong University of Finance and Economics, where she also takes a leadership role at the International School of Low-Carbon Studies.
