China Series events

The China Series brings together experts from across policy, academia and industry to advance the understanding of developments and dynamics of international climate policy, diplomacy and finance in relation to China. The series will consist of workshops and high-level policy meetings that aim to explore China’s pathways to carbon neutrality and its role in international environmental and climate governance.

With the view to provide new understanding, insights and ideas to ensure that solutions to pressing environmental and climate challenges can be discussed and explored, and through action-oriented, invite-only and off-the-record discussions, the China Series will create a trusted space for discussion for audiences from across China, the UK and beyond, to help translate policy research into actions and impacts.

Forthcoming events:

There are no forthcoming events currently scheduled. Register your interest here to receive updates on future events.

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Previous events:

Embracing the new paradigm of green development: launch event of the “China Carbon Neutrality Policy Framework Research Report”

23 February 2023, 09:00-10:00 GMT

This event was co-organised by the Grantham Research Institute (GRI) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the Energy Foundation.

This virtual workshop was held to launch the China Carbon Neutrality Policy Framework Research Report, in both English and Chinese.

Agenda

Moderator: Bob Ward, Policy and Communications Director, Grantham Research Institute, LSE

9:00-9:30 am – Session 1: Presentations

Introduction – setting the scene

– Professor Lord Nicholas Stern, Chair of the Grantham Research Institute, LSE (10 minutes)

Key study findings

– ZHU Min, Chair, Vice Chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, former Deputy Managing Director of IMF (10 minutes)

How this study impacts China’s carbon neutrality agenda

– Cameron Hepburn, Director, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford (5 minutes)

– Chunping Xie, Senior policy fellow, Grantham Research Institute, LSE (5 minutes)

9:30-9:40 am – Session 2: Comments

ZOU Ji, CEO & President, Energy Foundation (5 minutes)

ZHANG Xiaoyan, Vice Dean of Tsinghua University PBC School of Finance (5 minutes)

9:40-10:00 am – Session 3: Panel Discussion and Q&A

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Energy crisis: Europe’s responses and lessons for China

7 December, 12:00-14:35 GMT

A recording of this event is available here

This event is co-hosted with China International Capital Corporation Limited (CICC).

The workshop will include two sessions, with Session 1 focusing on “Policy Responses to the Energy Crisis” and Session 2 on “Energy Transition and Investment in the midst of the Crisis”.

Speakers for the first session:

• Tim Gould, Chief Energy Economist of IEA
• Ben McWilliams, Energy and Climate Consultant at Bruegel
• Dan Shi, Director of the Institute of Industrial Economics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences
• Changwen Zhao, President of Center for International Knowledge on Development

Chair for the first session: Wensheng Peng, Chief Economist, Head of Research Department and Executive Dean of Global Institute, CICC

Speakers for the second session:

• Danae Kyriakopoulou, Distinguished Policy Fellow, Grantham Research Institute, LSE
• Charlotte Gardes-Landolfini, Climate Change, Energy and Financial Stability Expert at IMF
• Xiansheng Sun, Chairman of the International Society for Energy Transition Studies (ISETS), Former Secretary General of the International Energy Forum (IEF)
• Zhongying Wang, Director General of Energy Research Institute of National Development and Reform Commission

Chair for the second session: Chunping Xie, Senior Policy Fellow, Grantham Research Institute, LSE

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High-Level Roundtable Session 4: China’s Climate Diplomacy and Pre-COP27  

3 November 2022, 15:00-16:00 GMT

Speakers: 

• Ambassador Jo Tyndall, Director, Environment Directorate, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 
• Mr. Emilien Gasc, First Secretary, Climate and Environment, European Union Delegation to the United Kingdom 
• Dr. Scott Moore, Director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania 
• Professor Fu Jun, Academic Dean of Institute of South-South Cooperation and Development, Peking University  

Chair: Lucie Qian Xia, China Policy Fellow, Grantham Research Institute, LSE

Discussion Topics: 

• Amidst the challenging geopolitical circumstances, what are the potential outcomes of COP27?  
• How can China and the EU enhance climate cooperation for COP27 and beyond? 
• How can China and the US resume climate talks and collaborate to ensure a good outcome of COP 27 and beyond?  

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High-Level China Series Session Three: China and Climate Finance 

Sep 30, 2022 10:00- 11:00 AM London 

• Aligning the financial system with net zero: what next after finance’s COP 26 commitments and agenda for COP 27?  
• Going beyond the $100bn commitment for international climate finance: how can multilateral development banks mobilise private sector capital flows more effectively?  
• How can we leverage private finance to support carbon neutrality goal?  

Speakers:  

• Hongpeng Liu, Director, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific 
• Robert Moore, Head, Sustainable Finance and Carbon Markets, International Net Zero Directorate, UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 
• John Seaman, Research Fellow, Center for Asian Studies, French Institute of International Relations  
• David Fischer, Project Coordinator, Environment & Climate Change Unit, International Energy Agency 

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Launch event

The launch event for the China Series took place on 22 June 2022 with the main discussion topic being ‘The Climate-Trade Nexus and China’s Climate Action’.

Speakers included:

• Aik Hoe Lim, Director, Trade and Environment Division, World Trade Organisation
• James Roaf, Assistant Director and Climate Policies Coordinator, Fiscal Affairs Department, International Monetary Fund
• Robert Hamwey, Environmental Economist, Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
• Jing Meng, Associate Professor, The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, Faculty of the Built Environment, University College London

China’s climate action and energy transition and security
The second China Series event is took place on 28 July 2022 from 9:00-10:00 AM BST.

Speakers included:

• Chen Ji, Executive Director at China International Capital Corporation (CICC)
• Xunpeng Shi, Research Principal at the Australia-China Relations Institute University of Technology Sydney
• Alexander Fisher, Director Sino-German Cooperation on Climate Change (SGCCC),
• Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (giz) GmbH
• Anders Hove, Project Director for the Energy Transition project at GIZ