On December 10, 2023, a side event themed “Digital Economy and Low-Carbon Development” was successfully held at the China Pavilion during the 28^th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai. The event was co-hosted by the Department of International Exchanges and Cooperation of the Counsellors’ Office of the State Council (COSC), the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua University, the Administrative Center for China’s Agenda 21 under the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and Alibaba Group. It was co-organized by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the World Resources Institute (WRI), the Institute of Energy, Environment and Economy, Tsinghua University, and the U.S. Energy Foundation.

Mr. Zhao Bing, Vice Chairman of the COSC, noted in his address that China is currently advancing the Chinese path to modernization on all fronts through high-quality development. Playing a vital role, digital technologies have been extensively applied in enhancing the effectiveness of environmental governance, fostering innovative models, underpinning high-level protection of the ecological environment, shaping green and low-carbon ways of production and life, and facilitating the transition from old to new growth drivers. These efforts, he said, will help promote high-quality development and making positive contributions to climate governance and building a beautiful Earth. 

Mr. He Defang, Counsellor of the State Council, elaborated on how digital technologies enhance the efficiency and competitiveness of the digital economy from industrial, technological, and managerial perspectives, thereby enabling low-carbon development. Experts from international organizations, academia and businesses held in-depth exchanges centering on the event’s theme. The participants spoke highly of China’s strategic decisions, actions, and achievements in leveraging digitalization to address climate change, and commended the dedicated Digitalization Day at the China Pavilion.

Other attendees included Mr. Shi Yong, Counsellor of the State Council, and officials from the Counsellor-Service Department and the Department of International Exchanges and Cooperation of the COSC. 

This marks the eighth time COSC has taken part in a UN climate conference and hosted a side event. 

During COP28 in Dubai, the COSC also co-hosted the Energy and Climate Change Seminar with the WRI. Experts from China and the United States engaged in discussions on topics including measures to implement the Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis, decarbonization of the power sector, carbon and trade, global South-South cooperation, and carbon management. Chinese participants included Mr. Wang Yi, Deputy Director of the National Expert Committee on Climate Change, Mr. Huang Jing, Director of the Administrative Center for China’s Agenda 21 under the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Mr. Zhang Xiliang, Director of the Institute of Energy, Environment and Economy, Tsinghua University, Mr. Ma Jun, President of the Institute of Finance and Sustainability in Beijing, and Mr. Teng Fei, Deputy Director of the Institute of Energy, Environment and Economy, Tsinghua University. U.S. participants included Mr. Rick Duke, Deputy Special Envoy for Climate, Office of the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, U.S. Department of State, and Mr. David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University.