- China hosted officials from seven Belt and Road countries for a two-week seminar on climate adaptation and energy transition.
- Participants explored technical sites, shared policy insights, and deepened cultural ties, leaving with a commitment to foster global cooperation for a sustainable future.
A two-week international seminar on climate change adaptation and energy transition concluded in China, calling for stronger global collaboration, technology sharing, and cultural exchange among Belt and Road countries to combat mounting environmental challenges.
Organised by the Hangzhou Regional Centre (Asia-Pacific) for Small Hydro Power (HRC) and sponsored by China’s Ministry of Commerce, the seminar brought together 25 government officials and technical experts from seven nations, including Nigeria, Chile, Cuba, Grenada, Indonesia, Tunisia, and Uzbekistan.
At the closing ceremony, HRC Director General Xu Zhifeng hailed the programme as a “successful and meaningful” exchange of ideas. He noted that participants had engaged in in-depth lectures, field visits, and discussions covering multi-energy technologies, clean energy innovation, water management, and sustainable growth.
“Over the past two weeks, we’ve embarked on a fulfilling and productive journey,” Xu said. “The seminar provided a robust platform to showcase China’s progress in low-carbon development and climate resilience.”
Participants toured key sites, including the Laoshikan and Fushi Hydropower Stations in Anji County, the Tiexinqiao Water Experiment Centre, and NARI Group Corporation, gaining firsthand insight into China’s renewable energy infrastructure and hydraulic engineering innovations.
Cultural exchanges also formed a central part of the programme, with visits to Nanjing and Shanghai, including a night cruise on the Huangpu River. These experiences, Xu said, fostered mutual respect and people-to-people connections, an integral part of China’s Global Development, Security, and Civilisation Initiatives championed by President Xi Jinping.
Xu reaffirmed China’s commitment to the Green Silk Road: “A green transition is not a burden but a driver of high-quality development.”
A participant from Nigeria commended the seminar for offering a timely and enriching platform, especially in exploring China’s renewable energy strategies. She urged fellow delegates to apply the knowledge gained and deepen international cooperation.
“Throughout this seminar, we’ve examined real solutions to climate and energy challenges,” she said. “We are responsible for carrying these lessons home and integrating them into national and regional policies.”
Meanwhile, speaking on behalf of the participants, Dr. Marien Soussi, Assistant Professor at Tunisia’s National Research Institute for Rural Engineering, Water and Forestry, described the experience as transformative.
“We engaged deeply with experts, explored innovative case studies, and saw technology in action,” she said. “Our next step is to bridge adaptation science with policy and scale these solutions fairly and effectively.”
Furthermore, established in 1981 with support from the Chinese government, UNDP, and UNIDO, HRC has trained clean energy experts from over 100 countries and has emerged as a central hub for small hydropower and rural electrification capacity building.
As the seminar concluded on June 18, participants expressed renewed commitment to driving low-carbon development, strengthening global networks, and translating international cooperation into local climate action.