The 2025 Sustainable Global Leaders Conference (hereinafter referred to as the “Sustainable Conference”) was successfully held from October 16 to 18 in the Huangpu District Expo Park, following the approval from the State Council. The conference featured the core theme “Together Facing Challenges: Global Actions, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth,” bringing together global wisdom to explore new pathways for sustainable development, providing strong “Chinese momentum” for global sustainable governance.

On October 18, the 2025 Sustainable Global Leaders Conference concluded successfully. High-profile speeches were delivered by Ban Ki-moon, the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia; Chen Chengchuan, President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations; Chen Wenhui, former Vice Chairman of the National Social Security Fund Council; and Ding Hui, Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

Several international dignitaries and organizational representatives attended, including Jin Yushu, former Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Marcos Neto, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Development Programme and Director of the Bureau of Policy and Programme Support; Musafiri, UNHCR Representative in China; and Erik Arthur, head of the United Nations Environment Programme's Finance Initiative.

The Sustainable Conference was co-hosted by the World Green Design Organization (WGDO) and Sina Group, with the Beijing office of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation (IFRS Foundation) as a co-organizer. Sina Finance and the Beijing representative office of the World Green Design Organization took on the hosting duties. Kweichow Moutai served as the Global Chief Strategic Partner, with the China Construction Bank, Shen Energy Group, and Orient Securities as Global Strategic Partners, and Yuyuan Group as an Honorary Partner. International Cooperation Promotes Global Prosperity

Ban Ki-moon stated that since the announcement of China's carbon peak and neutrality goals five years ago, the country has made remarkable achievements in energy transition. Through massive investments in renewable energy, China has rapidly expanded its wind and solar power generation capacity while reducing dependency on fossil fuels, with high-emission industries accelerating green upgrade and green manufacturing and circular economy thriving.

Chen Chengchuan stressed that global development and prosperity are our shared future. Currently, humanity is in a transformative era where we are defining our future and must seek solutions for it.

Jin Yushu noted that humanity is at a critical historical juncture where the future is being decided, facing multiple complex challenges such as climate change, ecological crises, geopolitical tensions, and escalating inequalities, which no single country or actor can tackle alone.

Marcos Neto pointed out that global assets related to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) are expected to reach $40 trillion by 2030; however, setbacks have been observed in achieving sustainable development goals despite widespread commitments and ESG labels, with developmental achievements still far from matching wealth creation levels.

Financial Development Reshapes Sustainable Future

Chen Wenhui highlighted that the role of the science and technology innovation industry in sustainable economic and social development is widely recognized. Current societal, economic, and numerous challenges can be addressed through technological innovation and its industrialization.

Ding Hui remarked that through years of effort, China has become the fastest nation globally in improving air quality.

Wang Naixiang, Chairman of the Beijing Green Exchange, mentioned that actively addressing climate change is a global consensus. As the world's largest developing country, China remains committed to leading the transition from carbon peak to neutrality within the shortest historical timeframe, facing significant pressures and challenges in reducing carbon intensity.

Erik Arthur warned that global natural systems are on the brink of collapse while political focus has shifted elsewhere, supporting this with data from authoritative reports to expose the “balance sheet realities that will determine the direction of the decade.”

Under the dual carbon targets, Sun Xiansheng, President of the International Energy Transition Association and former Secretary-General of the International Energy Forum (IEF), emphasized that the next five years present opportunities in China’s energy transition, with the rapid growth of new energy creating favorable conditions for restructuring the energy industry; challenges remain in securing energy safety and stable economic development while further optimizing the energy sector and building a modern energy system.

Wang Zhixuan, a member of the National Climate Change Expert Committee and Vice Chairman of the China Electricity Council's Expert Committee, asserted that policy drivers formed by carbon peak targets by 2030 and new national determined contributions (NDCs) by 2035 create opportunities, while challenges include balancing rapid development of renewable electricity with stability as the share exceeds 20%.

Miao Qing, Chairman of Yingli Group, identified the opportunity in China’s clear goal of increasing renewable energy installation, aiming for 3600GW by 2035, doubling from the current 1700GW; the challenges involve grid volatility and safety issues arising from the surge in new installations, with grid stability being a core concern.

Citi Group's Sustainable Development and ESG Director for the Asia-Pacific region, Cass, emphasized that the core opportunity and challenge of the next five years rest in breaking away from coal dependence, as China once consumed 50% of the world’s coal. Gradually reducing reliance on coal over the next five years is key to transformation and represents the greatest opportunity.

Future of Industrial Ecology

Wu Zhonghua, Managing Director of Sherwin-Williams Asia, stated that the goals of carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 require breakthroughs in green products within the manufacturing sector.

Ma Minglei, Director of the Engineering Research Institute at China State Construction Engineering Corporation, indicated that industrialization in construction isn’t yet complete, with on-site robot penetration below 35%, and fully intelligent residential production lines are rare. Personalization in architectural planning and design must meet human demands for a better living space.

Guan Yu, President of Bosch Comfort Technology Group for China and Southeast Asia, explained that the biggest global trend is intelligence and sustainability; these should not only be means but the future. Companies need to build capacities in both to maintain survival and development advantages moving forward.

Building a New Paradigm for Green Growth

Musafiri, UNHCR Representative in China, highlighted the intertwined challenges of global displacement, environmental changes, and resource inequality, presenting severe tests to social systems and survival resilience.

Marco Lambrotti, convenor of the Biodiversity Platform and former CEO of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), emphasized that the current economic transition is leading to environmental degradation and destruction, necessitating advanced technology to promote social development while protecting and restoring corresponding environments.

Miklos Losonczi, former Dean of the Business and Economic Doctorate School at Budapest Business School, noted the significance of China and Europe as crucial trading partners, with China being the largest import partner of the EU, making EU trade with China particularly noteworthy.

Sean Kidney, co-founder and CEO of the Climate Bonds Initiative, praised the extraordinary progress in climate action and green economic development over the past decade since the signing of the Paris Agreement, particularly highlighting China's leadership in this transition and its mass deployment of renewable energy, marking China's strategic shift towards becoming a new energy powerhouse.

Reexamining Social Fairness

Lambrotti reminded that natural resources are transitioning from seeming infinite to scarce, and humanity needs to face its dependence on nature, internalizing environmental risks to explore business opportunities and plan future commercial paradigms.

Diana Joylieva, Chief Economist at London-based Inanodo, observed that global fragmentation is a real concern, yet cooperation remains necessary and possible. Collaborative efforts surrounding nature, climate, and biodiversity can yield mutual benefits.

Guo Peiyuan, UNEP FI representative for China, stated that "green + inclusive" has become a hot topic in the industry, as the domestic financial sector explores the integration of green finance with inclusive finance, aligning with the guidance of "the five major articles of finance."

Wu Xuejun, head of the Suzhou Industrial Park Urban Development Research Institute, pointed out the need for substantial talent in the green transition process and emphasized the realization of talent shortages while developing ESG industries and enhancing ESG levels for enterprises.

Green Openness and International Cooperation

Khalil Rahman Hashmi, the Pakistani Ambassador to China, noted that over 100 developing countries globally are accumulating high debt, necessitating various financial tools to alleviate repayment burdens. Increasing protectionism further complicates market access and economic self-reliance for these nations.

Harlan Henry, the Barbadian Ambassador to China, remarked that despite being a small and developing country, Barbados must take proactive measures to address challenges from its unique perspective.

Mato Niafro, Dean of the Zagreb School of Economics and Management in Croatia and co-founder of the University of Luxembourg Business School, indicated that climate change and AI governance are now beyond national boundaries, requiring collaborative responses among countries.

David Morris, CEO of the Tasmanian chapter of the Australia-China Business Council and former Vice Chair of the UN Asia-Pacific Sustainable Business Network, stated that the Asia-Pacific region has become the world's center and is leading in green transition efforts. However, to scale up and address climate change, enhanced efforts, especially in China, are essential, where China plays a leading role.

Losonczi mentioned that the United States recently announced its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement, a decision expected to take effect in January 2026. In light of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s call for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing solutions through negotiations, the U.S. move may be intended to influence the negotiation process rather than completely withdrawing from related discussions, but it will still create significant impacts and controversies.

Empowering Women and Economic Growth

Xie Chen, Managing Director and Global Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), emphasized that women's empowerment holds clear value for company growth today, offering bonuses from diversified decision-making perspectives.

Wang Chen, Managing Director at Carrier HVAC North Asia, noted that women possess unique traits such as keen insight, cross-cultural communication, and resilience, providing an advantage in the highly competitive social and business environment.

Wang Qian, General Manager of LinkedIn China, discussed the ongoing globalization with AI reshaping the job market, with workplace data indicating that by 2035, approximately 70% of jobs may be disrupted by AI and globalization.

Jin Yanmin, Senior Vice President at Sony China, highlighted the emergence of numerous outstanding Asian female leaders adept at voicing goals globally, marking significant progress in social diversity, as diversification and women’s empowerment have shifted from optional to essential strategies for fostering innovation and sustainable economic development.

Lu Lunyan, Chief Representative of WWF Beijing, explained that sustainable development is a reflection and innovation of the economic industrial model since the industrial revolution, emphasizing long-term thinking, win-win strategies, and harmonious coexistence with nature, which has many natural connections to women.

Transitioning from Concepts to Practices

Elko van der Ende, CEO of the European Federation of Accountants, stated that Europe has not shelved sustainable development reporting and will advance based on the principle of dual materiality, ensuring future decisions in this area are more cautious, practical, and aligned with actual market needs.

Zhang Longqiang, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Iron and Steel Industry Association and President of the Metallurgical Industry Information Standard Research Institute, reported that China’s steel industry is transitioning from scale-led growth to green development and comprehensive technological innovation, continuing to promote green transformation in the industry while contributing Chinese solutions to global low-carbon steel development.

Luo Xiaoli, President of Otis for Greater China, identified that building energy consumption accounts for 30% of global energy consumption, making it a key area for cities to achieve low-carbon transformation. Utilizing mature technologies to retrofit existing infrastructure is an effective path to combat climate change and achieve net-zero targets.

He Muning, Chairman of PwC China, observed that in recent years, an increasing number of companies are focusing not only on short-term profits but on sustainable efforts, resulting in efficiency improvements and cost control, as sustainable initiatives foster market differentiation.

Leon Calvert, President and Managing Director of the Economist Group's B2B business, claimed that transitioning to a low-carbon economy represents an unprecedented and profound transformation that will reshape industries, redefine markets, and give rise to new leaders.

Hedweig, Head of Sustainable Development for the Danish Industry Association in China, recounted her introduction to ESG practices in 2010 when it was still a fringe topic, noting how ESG frameworks mainly served risk management during investment projects in underdeveloped countries in Africa at that time.

François Balumuene, DRC Ambassador to China, proclaimed a commitment to responsibly managing the vast natural resources using solid ESG principles, aspiring to transcend mere resource extraction by establishing value chains that prioritize sustainable development.

Zhong Xiaoyang, Partner in charge of Geopolitical Strategy and Global Green Supply Chains at Deloitte China, recounted how sustainable topics emerged twenty years ago when multinational companies shifted production to emerging markets. Business operations must surpass mere commerce, focusing on understanding relationships with people, nature, and land.

Wang Dequan, CEO of Dingle Sustainable Digital Technology, urged listed companies to disclose their ESG data, stressing that while approximately half engage in ESG practices, the lack of unified algorithms and insufficient information hinders investors, representing a significant challenge.

Integrating Sustainability with Higher Education

Jeffrey Raymond, Executive Vice President of NYU Shanghai, announced the involvement of external advisors providing students with insights beyond just project completion, emphasizing the importance of exposure to outside data for developing relevant practical experiences.

Lei Lili, a professor and Vice Dean at the School of Atmospheric Sciences at Nanjing University, concurred on the necessity to deeply integrate sustainability into education systems, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to cultivate composite talents to address complex global challenges.

Cheng Shijun, Executive Dean and Chair Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance, delineated that the academy is established in partnership with Shanghai Municipality to promote Shanghai as an international financial center, focusing on three major interdisciplinary strategic directions: innovative finance, digital finance, and sustainable finance.

Chu Chiheng, Deputy Dean of Zhejiang University's College of Environment and Resources, pointed out that real-world sustainability challenges require robust fundamental scientific research while leveraging technological solutions and diverse pathways to address these issues, calling for universities to prioritize the cultivation of students' practical abilities.

Wang Ying, Deputy Dean of the College of Environmental Science and Engineering at Tongji University, stressed that forming a unified understanding of sustainability is key to promoting its educational development. Universities should first reach a consensus on sustainable concepts and collaboratively push for synergy among government, enterprises, and relevant social stakeholders.

Future of Sustainable Business

David Morris, CEO of the Tasmanian chapter of the Australia-China Business Council and former Vice Chair of the UN Asia-Pacific Sustainable Business Network, noted that the Asia-Pacific is now a global center and leader in green transition efforts. However, to scale up and combat climate change, heightened efforts, particularly in China, are essential, with China playing a leading role.

Jose Odones, Asia-Pacific Managing Director for CDP, declared that environmental risks translate into financial risks, manifesting specifically as supply chain disruptions, resource scarcity, and market fluctuations. Thus, companies taking action are not merely engaging in charity; they are laying the groundwork for a more resilient and competitive economy.

Chen Kai, Chairman of EY China and CEO for Greater China, shared insights on profound changes in global ESG development, revealing emerging trends and dynamics. Internationally, policy adjustments are shifting ESG compliance from extensive disclosure towards substantive simplification.

Arioksin, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding Greater China, mentioned the deep reconstruction of global supply chains over the past two years, with Chinese businesses redirecting from traditional Western markets towards emerging regions in Africa and Southeast Asia, shifting procurement strategies from single reliance to diversified arrangements.

Zeng Song, Chairman of Yida China Holdings, acknowledged that while AI integration is on the rise, it will not replace humans; AI can simplify 80% of tasks, aiding uniform decisions, but final outputs will require human intervention.

Hao Jinyu, President of SGS China, noted that the lack of unified standards for global ESG and carbon footprints is a pressing issue. Variations in standards across countries create numerous trade and technical barriers, imposing significant compliance cost pressures on businesses aiming to expand internationally.

Su Yue, Chief Economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit (Economist Group) in China, recognized the complex implications of geopolitical events, which are not entirely negative, offering new markets and cooperation opportunities for China's green goods exports.

Implementing and Applying ESG Evaluation Standards

Deng Yaohua, Chief Representative of GRESB in China, shared insights on GRESB as a global ESG rating organization with participation from over 3,000 companies across approximately 80 countries and regions. With varying energy consumption patterns in different climatic zones and different seismic activities influencing inherent carbon and steel usage, achieving fairness is a considerable challenge.

Liu Yifang, Director of the Sustainable Standards Research Center at the Central University of Finance and Economics and Chair of the Sustainable Development Evaluation Committee of the China National Certification and Accreditation Administration, articulated that constructing a uniquely Chinese ESG evaluation system does not negate international experiences but seeks to balance these, borrowing from excellent global practices while responding to China's specific policy orientations and market demands.

Shi Mulan, Managing Director of BSI Greater China, explained that ESG scoring encompasses complex scenarios that present difficulties for many organizations, with over 600 ESG rating domains globally, resulting in a fragmented evaluation system that complicates corporates' choices.

Liu Jingyun, CEO of Equator Environmental Evaluation Corp, emphasized that ESG ratings are not determined by the number of report pages. The core pain point for companies in ESG ratings lies in the misalignment between the areas of concern for corporations and those emphasized by rating agencies.

New Perspectives on Global Energy Sustainability

Herbertson, head of hydrogen strategy and cooperation at Qair International, expressed growing global interest in green hydrogen based on green molecules, adding that developments like synthetic ammonia or methanol continue to compel attention.

Qian Shengli, Chairman of Shanghai Dingzhi Energy Co., highlighted the increasing role of Chinese companies in global carbon neutrality and emissions reduction, underscoring the establishment of robust supply chain systems capable of providing competitively priced key equipment like photovoltaic products and wind turbines.

Song Yunbo, Chief Sustainable Development Officer of GCL Group, discussed the multidimensional external challenges facing enterprises today, with increasingly rigorous overseas ESG regulatory environments, including the EU Sustainable Development Requirement and corporate sustainable development due diligence mandates, necessitating higher standards for corporate disclosures.

Huang Junzhang, Director of the ESG Department at Hong Kong and China Gas Company, noted that if production is only initiated upon observing demand, it will lead to a frantic production cycle, resulting in capacity excess.

Zhang Lili, Vice President of Bureau Veritas Government Affairs and Public Relations, urged companies to view sustainability reports as “physical check-up reports” rather than “report cards” that showcase outcomes while openly addressing shortcomings and outlining improvement plans. Some firms engage in "greenwashing" by only highlighting achievements while avoiding issues, undermining long-term trust.

Next Stop for AI Revolution

Matthew Cobb, Honorary Professor at the University of Manchester and author of "The Brain’s Tale," expressed pleasure in seeing awareness that ecological issues are intertwined with AI, which requires electricity to function, while cooling chips or processors necessitates significant water resources for ensuring the operation of data centers.

Thomas Lamanouskas, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), forecasted that global temperatures are expected to reach record highs again this year amid widespread droughts and heatwaves. In this context, the role of digital technology is critical, as it can support climate action but also risks causing adverse effects, with artificial intelligence being a typical example.

Mato Niafro, Dean of the Zagreb School of Economics and Management and co-founder of the University of Luxembourg Business School, highlighted the need for the EU, China, the United States, and relevant stakeholders to enhance communication and understanding to build a global AI governance framework.

Yidi, Senior Vice President and Chief Editor of Perfect World Group, stated that AI serves humanity rather than replacing it, aiming to ensure AI tools are inclusive. Ultimately, the goal for AI developers is to maintain a human-centric approach.

Liang Yu, Partner at Genesis Partners, noted that current explorations into AI are in a critical “from nothing to something” phase, with stakeholders anticipating AI’s development over the next decade. As a venture capital firm, Genesis Partners will support early-stage tech companies, understanding that not all attempts will succeed but that supporting early exploration is critical for industry growth.

Exploration of Robotic Applications

Zhao Yue, Founder and CEO of Xian Gong Intelligent Technology Co., mentioned that, similar to biological diversity, the future will witness highly varied robotic forms, advocating for a more diversified robotic ecosystem, wherein Xian Gong aims to reduce barriers and allow more individuals to define the machines they need across various contexts.

Tang Er Ying, General Manager of Lingyi Intelligent Manufacturing, shared that the current industrial robotics sector faces challenges in scene adaptation. Many companies encounter hurdles in technology implementation during processes such as material handling or precision assembly, requiring substantial engineering efforts to overcome these bottlenecks.

Wu Erqi, Vice President of Stone Technology, remarked that integrating robots into households presents significant challenges, emphasizing that clarifying the essence of problem-solving is more important than the appearance of robots.

Wang Chuang, Partner, Senior Vice President, and General Business Division President at Zhiyuan Robotics, pointed out that the current pace of advancement in robotics is outstripping expectations, with humanoid robots experiencing rapid development, overcoming complex movement tasks that were projected to take multiple years to resolve within a single year's time.

Leadership in Sustainable Development

Yanis Varoufakis, former Greek Finance Minister, posited that networked and algorithmic technologies give rise to a new form of capital he terms "cloud capital." As cloud capital expands in the capitalist world, it creates a new ruling class that fundamentally transforms capitalism.

Kenneth McFerrin, Dean of the Manchester Business School, illustrated that ESG and profitability are no longer separate goals but are integrally connected, asserting that the relentless pursuit of pure profit has culminated in numerous crises faced today.

Eric Cornielle, President of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), remarked that the world is currently confronting multiple challenges, including climate change, resource shortages, loss of biodiversity, and social inequalities, all necessitating a reevaluation of lifestyle and business operations.

Youth Leaders Co-Creating the Future

Jiang Chenghong, Senior Partner at Far East Holding Group and CEO of Bit Oasis, emphasized that the younger generation does not face the same survival pressures as their parents and can leverage previous experiences to focus more on valuable innovation and sustainable development.

Meng Jun, Private Sector Partnership Officer at the UNHCR, shared that the UNHCR operates in over 130 countries with 90% of its staff on the ground, actively engaging in sustainable development and humanitarian initiatives. The UNHCR launched its corporate partnership section in China in 2019, aiming to involve Chinese companies and young entrepreneurs in global humanitarian efforts.

Fang Haoze, President of Ruici Medical Group, declared that East Asia is leading globally in medical check-ups, with Japan ahead by 20 years, while China's medical check-up standards currently rank second in Asia, keeping pace with Europe and the U.S.

Mao Sai, a member of the management committee of China Chengxin Group and Chairman of China Chengxin Index and China Chengxin Credit, underscored that the AI field significantly relies on the younger generation, especially those born after 1995, who swiftly embrace new technologies, representing a major opportunity for their generation or those younger by ten years.

Su Dezhong, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Uuer Childcare Group, mentioned that AI has the potential to enhance the quality of childcare in the future, improving safety and care. Additionally, AR wearable technology can monitor teachers' mental fatigue, stress levels, and emotional changes during childcare.