ISLAMABAD ( WNAM REPORT):The Asian Institute of Eco civilization Research and Development (AIERD) from Pakistan attended the Belt and Road Green and Low-Carbon Expert Network (GLEN) dialogue and the Belt and Road Green Development International Alliance “Green Alliance” Partners Exchange meeting.
The high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative emphasizes the concept of a “Green Silk Road as the guiding principle,” showcasing broad prospects for win-win cooperation, a news release said.
Nearly 100 experts and guests from the green and low-carbon development field, both domestic and international, gathered at the Belt and Road Green and Low-Carbon Expert Network (GLEN) Dialogue and the Belt and Road Green Development International Alliance (hereinafter referred to as the “Green Alliance”) Partners Exchange meeting.
The event aimed to share experiences, deepen consensus, and pool strengths to advance green and low-carbon cooperation, provide recommendations for achieving sustainable development, and contribute wisdom and energy toward the green transition of the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, held in October 2023, proposed the establishment of a green and low-carbon expert network. The importance of this initiative was further emphasized during the Fourth Belt and Road Construction Work Symposium earlier this month.
The green and low-carbon expert network is both an innovative mechanism for enhancing international exchanges in emerging fields, and one of China’s key measures under the “Promoting Green Development” action within the eight initiatives supporting the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.
“Looking ahead, we are full of expectations for building a Green Silk Road,” noted Zhao Yingmin, Vice Minister of the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
He outlined three key priorities including fostering consensus, innovating cooperation paths and promoting pragmatic cooperation. Supported by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Green Alliance serves as the secretariat for GLEN.
Experts participating in the dialogue represent various fields, including climate, energy, environment, finance, and international cooperation. They unanimously agreed that the GLEN platform allows cross-sector sharing of research outcomes and establishes cooperative mechanisms.
These efforts support partner countries and regions in improving top-level designs and standard systems for green and low-carbon development. Moreover, GLEN offers decision-making advice, theoretical research, project evaluation, and capacity-building support for enterprises, financial institutions, and other stakeholders involved in Belt and Road green international cooperation projects.
Rui Wanjie, CEO of Rui Na Xin International Consulting, emphasized the importance of the six key tasks proposed by GLEN for advancing the green and low-carbon transitions of partner countries. For African nations, she highlighted that future China-Africa cooperation should prioritize the development of green infrastructure and related projects in manufacturing, environment, and commodities to promote ecological civilization on the continent.
Guo Jing, Chair of the Green Development International Alliance (Green Alliance), highlighted the significant achievements in 2024 across policy research, international communication, and conference organization.
Throughout the year, the Green Alliance and its domestic and international partners conducted joint studies on key areas of the Green Belt and Road, including green energy, green finance, and climate financing.
Reports such as the Belt and Road Green Development Outlook, China’s Actions on South-South Cooperation in Addressing Climate Change, and Cooperation on Low-Carbon Energy Transition between China and Key Belt and Road Countries were officially released during the conference. These reports, as milestones in building an international think tank platform for Green Belt and Road development, systematically showcased progress, shared China’s green development practices, it also served as a valuable reference for identifying opportunities and challenges in building a Green Belt and Road and advancing international cooperation in ecological and climate-related fields along the Belt and Road.
Zhang Jieqing, Chief Representative of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) Beijing Office, stated that four institutions from China, Indonesia, and the Philippines jointly completed the report titled “Cooperation on Low-Carbon Energy Transition between China and Key Belt and Road Countries.”
Fabby Tumiwa, Executive Director of Indonesia’s Institute for Essential Services Reform, emphasized that in the process of low-carbon development, countries need to strengthen cooperation rather than act individually, as only through joint efforts can the challenges be addressed.
By signing the Memorandum of Cooperation, the Green Alliance and Indonesia’s Institute for Essential Services Reform will work together within the framework of the Green Development Investment and Financing Partnership (GIFP) to deepen China-Indonesia and China-ASEAN green and low-carbon cooperation, promoting energy low-carbon transitions and green transportation development. Additionally, the Green Alliance will collaborate with the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency, focusing on mutual recognition of carbon footprint rules and capacity building. It will also cooperate with the China Quality Certification Center on the development of carbon footprint platforms and rules, jointly advancing innovation and development of the Belt and Road carbon management system.
