The 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) discussed China’s domestic work to achieve an ecological civilization. It also focused on China’s global influence in markets and supply chains and its sustainable development efforts in partner countries. The AGM contributed to policy recommendations on a range of issues Chinese and international researchers collaborated on throughout the year.

Serving as a platform for dialogue and cooperation between China and the international community, the Council “aims to advance innovative policy solutions for China and the world,” the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary report of the meeting notes. While discussions acknowledged uncertainties stemming from global political and economic challenges, “many participants at the AGM lauded China’s steady progress toward a green transition.”

The theme of the meeting, ‘Advancing the Green Transformation for a Harmonious Coexistence between Humans and Nature,’ captured China’s sustainable development objectives – as did the policy research presented by international and Chinese teams of experts. Many argued that “a green transition is not only a moral imperative, but an economic necessity.”

Over the course of two days, delegates considered the results of eight Special Policy Study (SPS) reports and two Scoping Study reports – and the recommendations to the Chinese government contained in these reports. The reports address land-sea coordination, a green and just transition, China’s green transition in the country’s 15th Five-Year Plan, climate change governance, and building a circular economy, among other themes.

Participants also considered an interim report of the CCICED’s High-Level Task Force (HLTF), co-chaired by Achim Steiner, CCICED Vice Chairperson and former UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator, and Xie Zhenhua, CCICED Vice Chairperson and former Special Envoy for Climate Change Affairs of China. The report provides “recommendations for near-term actions ranging from synergistic governance to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, to enhancing the application of digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) in green development and environmental protection.”

The discussions held during the AGM will support the CCICED’s work as it finalizes its policy recommendations on environment and development for consideration by China’s highest decision-making body – the State Council.

The AGM convened in Beijing, China, from 15-16 October 2025. Over 400 participants from governments, international organizations, the private sector, civil society organizations (CSOs), think tanks, and academia attended the meeting. [ENB Coverage of 2025 CCICED AGM]