Tianjin holds 2nd APEC sustainable development forum

The 2nd Asia-Pacific Energy Sustainable Development Forum, organized by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), was successfully held in Tianjin from Nov 3 to 5.

More than 100 representatives, administrative officials, experts, entrepreneurs, and delegations of APEC members convened to discuss sustainable energy development in the Asia-Pacific region.

The 2nd Asia-Pacific Energy Sustainable Development Forum opens in Tianjin on Nov 3. [Photo/Tianjin University]

APEC has made unremitting efforts to develop sustainable energy in the Asia-Pacific region.

Li Junfeng, director of the National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation (NCSC), said that in recent years China has addressed climate change head on and is on the cusp of energy transformation.

China achieved negative growth in coal-fired power generation and coal consumption for the first time in 2014, and, in 2015, its renewable energy power generation accounted for 24.8 percent of total power generation, an increase of 4.8 percent compared to 2012.

During the forum, the APEC Sustainable Energy Center (APSEC) and the Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin) organized five APEC keynote seminars on Clean Coal, Green Financing, Energy Storage Technology, Solar Energy Disaster Recovery Building, and Green Building Renewable Energy Supply.

Representatives of participating economies and experts at home and abroad held heated discussions on how to achieve sustainable energy development in the Asia-Pacific region.

Attendees take photos in front of the APEC Sustainable Energy Center. [Photo/Tianjin University]

The forum convened the "Second APSEC Steering Committee Meeting", and nominated Li Guoqiang, the former Assistant Director of the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as the Deputy Director of APSEC.

It also adopted the APSEC high-level advisory committee members nominations, including Prof. Andrew Blakers, fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Science & Engineering, Prof. Eugenie Ladner Birch, Dean of School of Urban Planning, University of Pennsylvania, US, Zou Yiqiao, former Director of International Cooperation Department of National Energy Administration, Tang Jie, Former Vice Mayor of Shenzhen Municipal Government, and Li Junfeng, Director of NCSC.

The leaders of the National Energy Administration praised APSEC’s progress and accomplishments since its inception two years ago, and outlined their high expectations for the development of the center and the support it will be given for further development.

Establishment of the Asia-Pacific Sustainable Cities and Energy Technology Research Institute was announced during the forum.

Attendees take photos after the forum. [Photo/Tianjin University]

Under the guidance of the Tianjin Municipal Construction Commission, the institute will be led by APSEC and the Tianjin Construction Technology Development and Promotion Center and will integrate relevant forces to promote sustainable urban and energy technology development.

The APEC Sustainable Energy Center, established in 2014 at the 11th APEC Energy Ministerial Conference, is committed to contributing to the sustainable development of the Asia-Pacific region through policy exchanges, information sharing, capacity building, joint research and development, and technical cooperation among economies.

Director of APEC Zhu Li said the Center has determined its development plan for the next five years. In addition to further promoting the APEC sustainable urban and fossil energy clean usage project, the center will continue to integrate resources, strengthen team building, construct an information base, and build the "Asia-Pacific Energy Sustainable Development Intelligence Network" to prepare for energy security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.

Li Jiajun, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tianjin University (TJU), and Zhong Denghua, President of TJU, also attended the forum and delivered speeches.

Li Jiajun, Secretary of the Party Committee of Tianjin University (TJU) delivers a speech. [Photo/Tianjin University]