The International Conference on Carbon Neutrality 2023 was successfully held in Shanghai from October 20 to 22, 2023, hosted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and co-organized by University of Edinburgh, University of Michigan (Global CO2 Initiative), Tsinghua University, University of Birmingham, University of Oxford and Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The conference received more than 160 submissions from more than 10 countries, including China, the UK, the US, Singapore, Japan, the Netherlands, Indonesia and Portugal, and more than 200 experts and scholars from around the world engaged in low-carbon related fields attended the conference. Professor Xu Xuemin, Vice President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Xu Huaqing, Director of the National Centre for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation; Xie Wenlan, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission; Zhu Minglin, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission; Wu Qizhou, Deputy Director of Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment; and Neil Robertson, Dean of Foreign Affairs, School of Science and Engineering, University of Edinburgh Prof. Prof. Michael Obersteiner, Director of the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) at the University of Oxford, Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Prof. Yulong Ding of the University of Birmingham attended the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony was chaired by Zhao Changying, Chairman of the Congress, editor-in-chief of the international journal Carbon Neutrality, Lecturer Professor of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and President of the China-UK International Low Carbon Academy.

Opening Ceremony

Professor Zhao Changying presided over the opening ceremony At the opening ceremony, Vice President Xu Xuemin delivered a speech on behalf of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, expressing sincere welcome to all the leaders, experts and scholars attending the conference. Xu Xuemin said that the conference will focus on low-carbon energy, ecosystem carbon sink and environmental governance, carbon finance, carbon management, etc., exchange the latest research progress, focus on key scientific issues, and promote interdisciplinary integration. I believe that the conference will bring you the most cutting-edge academic achievements at home and abroad, and I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all the leaders and experts who have provided guidance and assistance to Shanghai Jiao Tong University for a long time.

Vice President James Smith delivered a video speech on behalf of the University of Edinburgh. He said that the College of Low Carbon has made a lot of achievements in the cultivation of low-carbon professionals and the research and development of low carbon. The holding of this conference has further promoted the cooperation and exchanges between the two sides, and he looked forward to continuing to maintain in-depth cooperation in the future.

Director Xu Huaqing delivered a speech on behalf of the National Center for Strategic Research and International Cooperation on Climate Change. He said that the global trend of accelerating green and low-carbon development and transformation will not change. In the past few years, the National Center for Climate Change has established a very close cooperative relationship with the Low Carbon College of Shanghai Jiaotong University. We sincerely hope that Shanghai Jiaotong University and Low Carbon College will cultivate more interdisciplinary, composite and application-oriented innovative talents under the guidance of serving the national "double carbon" strategy.

Deputy Director Xie Wenlan delivered a speech on behalf of Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission. He said that the process of realizing the goal of "double carbon" requires joint exploration and concerted efforts from three aspects: scientific and technological innovation, policy system and market mechanism. This conference provides a platform for experts and scholars to share scientific research progress and discuss cooperation, which will further promote the development of global carbon neutrality.

Deputy Director Zhu Minglin delivered a speech on behalf of Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission. He said that realizing the goal of "dual carbon" is an urgent need to solve the prominent problem of resource and environment constraints and realize sustainable development, and it is also the only way to build a modern socialist international metropolis with world influence. Scientific and technological innovation plays an important role and significance in energy conservation, emission reduction and carbon control.

Deputy Director Wu Qizhou delivered a speech on behalf of the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Ecological Environment, saying that Shanghai has formed many best practices in the field of green and low-carbon, and has a unique advantage in promoting international cooperation on climate change. In the future, Shanghai will resolutely shoulder the political responsibility of ecological civilization construction, and firmly follow the road of ecological priority and green development.

Keynote Report

The second and third sessions of the conference were chaired by Prof. Changying Zhao from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Prof. Yulong Ding from the University of Birmingham. Professor Michael Obersteiner of the University of Oxford delivered a keynote report entitled "Towards the net-negative carbon economy", introducing the research results on the net-negative carbon economy. The report proposed intertemporal tools to support the net-negative carbon economy. Involving the enforcement of the "carbon removal obligation" (CRO), which sets out the responsibility of emitters to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to compensate for their carbon debt. Professor Michael concludes his report by suggesting the use of financial stress test rules, carbon taxes and emissions trading systems to fund these obligations.

Academician Huang Zhen of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (delivered by Associate Professor Zhou Baowen) presented the conference report entitled "Renewable synthetic fuel: turning carbon dioxide back into fuel", introducing the research results of renewable synthetic fuels. Renewable synthetic fuel is a disruptive technology that will make transportation and industrial fuels no longer dependent on fossil energy, achieve net zero carbon emissions, and provide new solutions for the strategic transformation of energy and the goal of carbon neutrality.

Professor Neil Robertson, University of Edinburgh, UK, delivered a conference report entitled "Solar photovoltaics: technologies and future prospects". In order to achieve carbon neutrality, the comprehensive utilization of solar energy will become the largest energy technology on the earth. The report introduced the latest research progress on photovoltaic technology, including mature technologies such as silicon photovoltaic cells and potential breakthrough technologies such as peroxide photovoltaic cells, and looked forward to the future global renewable energy development trend.

Zhang Xian, Director of the Social Services Division of the China Agenda 21 Management Center, delivered a report entitled "Prospect on CCUS technology development under the carbon neutrality goal". Introducing the prospect of carbon dioxide capture, utilization and Storage (CCUS) technology, which is an integral part of China's technology to achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals. In the future, China's CCUS technology development goal is to build a low cost, low energy consumption, safe and reliable technology system cluster, it is suggested to strengthen the advance deployment of CCUS technology research and development, and promote the whole chain integration demonstration; Accelerate the construction of pipe network and infrastructure, improve fiscal and tax incentive policies and laws and regulations system, and promote the commercial development of CCUS.

Sub-venues of the Conference

Session reports

The conference will be followed by the conference venue report and wall poster display session. The conference will have 3 sub-venues, 8 keynote reports, 29 invited reports, 79 general oral reports and 26 poster presentations. Topics include hydrogen energy and renewable low-carbon fuels, advanced energy storage, utilization of waste carbon resources, climate policy and finance, carbon reduction and CCUS, smart energy for carbon neutrality, green buildings and low-carbon cities, ecosystem carbon sink and environmental governance. Two experts were invited to each sub-session as sub-session chairs to comment on the general oral presentations and have in-depth exchanges with the speakers. At the same time, a special panel was set up to evaluate and score the 26 wall newspapers.

Closing ceremony

The conference was successfully closed on the evening of October 22, with the closing ceremony presided over by Professor Zhao Changying. The conference is funded by Carbon Neutrality, an international journal. There will be 2 first prize, 5 Second prize and 2 best poster awards. With Professors Changying Zhao, Neil Robertson and Michael Obersteiner presenting the oral Presentation Award and Best Poster Award to the winners.

Closing Ceremony of the conference and award Ceremony

The International Conference on Carbon Neutrality 2023 is the first academic event at home and abroad to focus on cutting-edge issues of low-carbon science and technology and carbon neutral policy research. This conference has set up a platform for academic exchange and mutual learning of achievements, comprehensively showcasing the latest research progress in the field of carbon neutrality in the world, promoting the cross-integration and innovation of low-carbon disciplines, and continuously injecting new vitality into the field of carbon neutrality. Carbon Neutrality, the world's first international academic journal in the field of carbon neutrality, and the Sino-British International Low Carbon College of Shanghai Jiao Tong University are the sponsors of this conference. They are actively promoting brand building of the international academic conference on carbon neutrality, making every effort to build a flagship journal in the field of carbon neutrality, leading the frontier development of low-carbon research, and building a carbon neutrality high-end international academic exchange platform. Contribute "China plan" and intellectual support to promote global response to climate change and realize green and sustainable development!