The 32nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED) discussed examples of positive feedback loops that link low-carbon development, digitalization, and market-based innovation. The AGM formulated policy recommendations on a range of issues Chinese and international researchers collaborated on throughout the year.

The AGM encouraged the Chinese government and other governments to promote a variety of area-based conservation models to deliver on the 30×30 target to protect 30% of land, fresh waters, and seas by 2030. It also recommended that governments, inter alia: develop national strategies for adaptation and key ocean industries, such as renewable energy, deep-sea mining, and offshore aquaculture, supported by robust policies; adopt a quantitative carbon reduction performance model to guide public procurement; and establish pilot projects in cities or industrial parks to advance industrial heat pump and energy storage efficiency.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) summary report of the meeting notes that the AGM convened against the backdrop of the urgent need to tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, including through innovative financing mechanisms.

Convening under the theme, ‘Open, Inclusive and Innovative Cooperation to Build a Clean and Beautiful World,’ the meeting highlighted “China’s central role in providing lessons in high-quality green development and its commitment to achieve its renewable energy and low-carbon targets,” as demonstrated by the outputs reported from this year’s Special Policy Studies (SPS). China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has helped facilitate South-South cooperation, was among the examples highlighted to demonstrate innovation in breaking the walls of competition among countries and siloed approaches within governments.

The AGM discussions addressed proposed pathways and policy recommendations contained in nine SPS undertaken during the preceding year by consortia of Chinese and international researchers, on:

• China’s Pathways for Achieving Carbon Neutrality and Global Climate Governance;
• Sustainable Oceans Management Under the Vision of Carbon Neutrality;
• Biodiversity Conservation and Implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF);
• Collaborative Mechanism for Pollution Reduction, Carbon Reduction, Green Expansion and Growth;
• Green Development and Climate Adaptation for Urban and Rural Areas;
• Digital-Green Dual Transformation and Sustainable Development of Cities;
• Innovative Mechanisms of Sustainable Investment in Environment and Climate;
• Sustainable Trade and Supply Chains; and
• Green Opening-up and South-South Cooperation.

The meeting also adopted the CCICED progress report for 2023-2024 and workplan for 2024-2025.

The AGM convened in Beijing, China, from 10-12 October 2024. [ENB Coverage of 2024 CCICED Annual General Meeting]