COP30 to Open, Continuing 'Green' Initiative at CIIE

At the other side of the earth, the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP30, will be held between November 10 and 21 in Brazil, right after the ongoing China International Import Expo, where many exhibitors make green development one of their most important themes.

At the booth of German technology firm Heraeus, a machine representing the best practice in aluminum smelting processes is on show, although it is plain in looking amid a kaleidoscope of novel products at the expo.

It is the China debut of AluLab Mobile LIBS Analyzer, which can quickly analyze key elements in molten aluminum, helping to optimize alloy composition and improve production efficiency from hours to just one minute via on-site analysis.

"This product is from our Belgian manufacturing facility. For Heraeus, CIIE is much more than an exhibition. It's a place where ideas meet opportunity, where we can share our latest breakthroughs and support China's vision of high-quality and sustainable development," said Ai Zhouping, president of Heraeus China.

China has among the most aggressive green goals in the world, pledging to reach peak carbon emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2060. It has invested heavily in green energy installation and the development of green technologies across various sectors.

"There has been significant progress across Asia Pacific in responding to climate change over the last few years, particularly in electricity grid decarbonization and in the electrification of transportation. In both respects China leads the world," said Will Symons, UK consulting firm Deloitte's sustainability leader in Asia Pacific region. Symons has just participated CIIE and will fly to Brazil to attend the COP30.

"With most governments committed to economy-wide decarbonization globally, they will need increased access to new technologies and practices to meet their targets. Continued investment in innovation and cost reduction, particularly in electrolysers and batteries, is needed to accelerate the pace of global decarbonization," Symons said.

The CIIE serves as a platform to share how to advance low-carbon development, especially from the perspective of multinational companies, which has become an important force in China's tremendous efforts to accelerate the process of carbon emission reduction.

"Realizing carbon neutralization requires coordinated efforts from the whole supply chain. As a responsible upstream supplier, Tetra Pak has been actively accelerating its green transformation, and has worked together with our partners to map out blueprints for sustainable development," said Zhu Yidong, China president of global food processing and packaging firm Tetra Pak.

Its production base in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province, was awarded the carbon neutrality verification certificate by world authorizing firm TUV SUD last month, marking a milestone in Tetra Pak China's journey of carbon neutrality. In the past five years, Tetra Pak managed to reduce carbon emission by 10 percent in China, and has cultivated a popular corporate culture of saving energy like saving every penny.

Carmaker Jaguar Land Rover, which has participated in CIIE for eight consecutive years, has also exhibited a lot of green technologies at the expo.

"Jaguar Land Rover regards China as a strategic core and will continue to increase its local investment," said Pan Qing, president and CEO of Jaguar Land Rover China. Under his leadership, the Changshu facility, Jaguar Land Rover's first complete vehicle manufacturing plant outside the UK, has become an industry benchmark in green production and sustainable development with an industrial solid waste utilization rate of over 90 percent and with energy consumption decreasing year by year.

French firm Michelin, which is best known for its tires and restaurant guide books, also makes sustainable development a key theme during its fifth experience with CIIE as "sustainability is not only its vision but its action and value, realized through balanced development of people, profit and planet."

In a prominent position at the booth, Michelin exhibits its 71% Sustainable Tire, which uses a high proportion of renewable and recycled materials, including natural rubber, recycled carbon black, and recovered steel, and also incorporates bio-based materials extracted from organics such as rice husks, orange peels, and sunflower seeds.

The Michelin Group has set up a goal that by 2050, all tires will be produced from 100 percent renewable and recycled materials.

For US-based logistics firm FedEx, which took part in all the eight CIIEs in history, the expo is a place to demonstrate its commitment to achieving carbon-neutral operations globally by 2040. In China, the company has implemented multiple initiatives, including vehicle electrification, sustainable infrastructure and paperless shipping to reduce operational carbon emissions.

"As a key player in the logistics industry, we have witnessed and contributed to the evolution of China's supply chains toward higher quality and connectivity. Moving forward, we will continue to leverage our extensive global network, reliable logistics services, and firm commitment to sustainability to help customers build smart, resilient, and sustainable supply chains," said Poh-Yian Koh, president of FedEx China.

While companies around the world are showcasing their strength and devotion to climate change initiative at the CIIE, it is time to lend the baton to global leaders at the COP30 in Brazil.

Zhou Fengqi, director of Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, urged reasonable rules for less developed countries in the implementation of global carbon neutralization, which may slow their growth momentum at a time when their opportunities come.

"It is better to give incentives than to punish, and it is fair to design differentiated goals for countries at different growth level," Zhou suggested.

Laurent Fabius, former prime minister of France and president of the COP21 Paris Climate Conference, said in the Shanghai campus of CEIBS last month that "climate diplomacy is essential because of the nature of the challenge itself."

"Climate change is a shared global reality. The choices we make today, or fail to make, will have lasting consequences for generations to come," Fabius said.

"We need to tackle climate change with multilateralism. We need it. And there is no possible multilateralism without a close link between China and Europe. Despite certain differences, both sides share fundamental interests, and it is crucial that they work together to advance multilateral efforts in tackling climate change."

Fabius said the success of the upcoming COP30 conference in Brazil will hinge on what he described as the "three I's" while it is what he is going to present at the conference.

The first, "Implementation," which calls for moving from framework to concrete results, ensuring that national commitments translate into real progress. The second, "Inclusion," which urges broader participation from civil society, indigenous groups, parliaments, and international organisations, as well as stronger links between climate, biodiversity, and anti-deforestation agendas. The third, "Innovation," which underscores the growing role of legal and institutional tools – such as courts and international rulings – in advancing climate accountability.