Building a green future together: dialogue on green economy and industrialization held in Xiamen

By Lin Zhuowei, Gong Weiwei

(ECNS) – “Green industrialization is no longer an option for the future but a necessary path forward,” said Shu Luomei, director of the Investment and Technology Promotion Offices and Institutional Partnerships at the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), during a high-level dialogue on green economy and industrialization held in Xiamen on Tuesday evening.

The event, themed “Green Economy and Industrialization: Breaking Technology Barriers, Building Circular Futures,” was hosted by UNIDO and organized by its Investment and Technology Promotion Office (China, Beijing).

It brought together over 100 representatives from the UN system, government agencies, financial institutions, academia, and the private sector to discuss pathways for advancing green technology, circular economy, and sustainable industries.

In her welcoming remarks, Shu emphasized UNIDO’s commitment to facilitating knowledge-sharing, promoting green investment, and ensuring compliance with international standards to accelerate the global transition to green industrialization.

She highlighted the fruitful cooperation between UNIDO and China in clean energy technology transfer, which she said holds great potential for further development.

Local and international speakers shared their perspectives on sustainable practices. Huang Shizhong, vice chairman of the Xiamen Municipal Committee of the CPPCC called on enterprises to prioritize social and environmental values, drawing on the Chinese cultural concept of harmony between humanity and nature.

Wang Peicheng, deputy director of the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Commerce, introduced the city’s green development strategy, including the launch of a city-level ESG Action Plan (2025–2027), the fourth of its kind nationwide.

Benjamin Rae, senior economist at the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in China, underlined that green economy creates jobs and improves living standards, but faces financing and technology challenges, especially in developing countries. He called for joint global efforts in reform and innovation.

During the roundtable session, experts and business leaders explored practical solutions in ESG system building, green finance, renewable energy and storage, and the globalization of China’s photovoltaic industry.

Speakers from Asian Development Bank, Total Energies, New Development Bank, and CATL, shared case studies, emphasizing technology innovation, cross-border cooperation, and policy guidance as key drivers for sustainable growth.

In his closing remarks, Wang Yuanfeng, director of the Carbon Neutrality Technology and Strategy Research Center at Beijing Jiaotong University, noted China’s significant progress in carbon control, ESG governance, and the rise of its “new three” industries.

He said China is increasingly becoming a major contributor to the global green transition, offering valuable experience for achieving the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The dialogue built consensus among policymakers, scholars, and businesses that addressing climate change requires joint action by the international community, with green economy serving as a critical pathway toward a more sustainable and inclusive future.