The International Conference on Energy Transition in Developing Countries was successfully held at Beijing Normal University’s Jingshi Hall on October 13.
The conference was organized by the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the International Cooperation Bureau of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and co-sponsored by School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, and the United Nations Environment Programme International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP). Prof. Zhang Lixiao of Beijing Normal University and Prof. Zhang Linxiu, the Director of UNEP-IMEP are the co-chairs of the conference.
Prof. Zhang Lixiao opened the conference by introducing the background and emphasizing the challenges facing developing countries in their energy transition effort and the urgency of international technical cooperation. Director Rong Nianhe of the International Cooperation Bureau of the National Natural Science Foundation then outlined the framework and project groups of their collaboration with UNEP. Director Zhang Linxiu highlighted the essential role of UNEP-IEMP in supporting the South-South cooperation initiatives and presented the climate-Ecology-Livelihoods (CEL) flagship program. This program aims to help developing countries achieve the development goal of improving people’s livelihoods by restoring and protecting critical ecosystems in the context of climate change. Prof. Shen Zhenyao, Dean of the School of Environment at Beijing Normal University, welcomed the guests and provided an overview of the school’s disciplinary development.
The venue for the International Conference on Energy Transition in Developing Countries
Director Zhang Linxiu chaired the first half of the conference. The event featured a hybrid meeting by holding both online and offline sessions, with renowned international experts in related field delivering cutting-edge academic presentations. The speakers included Prof. AbuBakr Bahaj from the University of Southampton, Academician Alvin Culaba, the Vice Chancellor of the Philippine Academy of Science, Director Beni Suryadi of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation’s Energy Center, Isaac Kiva, Director of Renewable Energy at the Kenyan Ministry of Energy, Prof. Anthony Shun Fung Chiu from the University of De La Salle, Prof. Alexey Voinov from the University of Twente in the Netherlands, Prof. Rebecca R. Hernandez from the University of California, Davis, Prof. Soteris Kalogirou from Cyprus University of Technology, Prof. Soocheol Lee from Meiji University, Prof. Jiang Kejun from the Energy Research Institute of the China Macroeconomic Research Institute, Prof. Xu Ming from Tsinghua University, Prof. Liu Yu from Peking University, Prof. Chen Weiqiang from the Institute of Urban Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Prof. Yang Yi from Chongqing University. Director Zhang Linxiu concluded the conference, emphasizing that energy transition is a global challenge that requires the collective attention and collaborative efforts of worldwide nations and societies. She urged scientists from different countries to engage more actively in international activities, speak up on international platforms, and stressed the importance of the synergy between the scientific community and policymakers in making evidence-based decisions.
The International Conference on Energy Transition in Developing Countries is one of the outcomes of the National Natural Science Foundation’s international (regional) cooperation and exchange project “Sustainability Research on Energy Transition in Developing Countries: Mechanisms, Impacts, and Pathway Optimization,” with Director Zhang Linxiu as the overseas cooperation leader for this project.
