From October 19 to 22, 2026, the 12th International Conference on Low Carbon Asia (ICLCA 2026) was successfully hosted at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Co-organized by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and jointly undertaken by the China-UK Low Carbon College and the School of Environmental Science and Engineering of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the conference gathered more than 200 experts and scholars from 24 countries. Centering on cutting-edge topics including low-carbon technological innovation, circular economy, urban green development and climate governance, participants conducted in-depth exchanges and jointly explored the pathways for net-zero transition in Asia.

Under the theme of "Towards the 1.5°C Target: Integrating Science, Technology, Finance and Policy to Advance Asia’s Net-Zero Transition", the conference was co-chaired by Professor Geng Yong from Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Professor Ho Chin Siong from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. It featured opening ceremony, keynote speeches, Green City Forum, parallel sessions, poster exhibitions and technical visits, building a vital exchange platform for interdisciplinary research and international cooperation in the low-carbon field.

Opening Ceremony Kicks Off International Academic Exchanges on Low Carbon Development

On the morning of October 20, the conference opening ceremony took place in Lecture Hall E100, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Minhang Campus of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, presided over by Associate Professor Lim Jeng Shiun from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Assistant Professor Mong Guo Ren from Universiti Teknologi Petronas. Professor Liu Weidong, Vice President of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Tan Seng Chuan, President of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO); Professor Ho Chin Siong, Conference Chair from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia; and Zheng Hao, Party Secretary of the School of Environmental Science and Engineering of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, delivered successive opening speeches.

The opening ceremony inaugurated the academic exchanges of the conference. Focusing on the core theme of advancing net-zero transition through the coordination of science, technology, finance and policy, participants focused on technological innovation and implementation demands in low-carbon development, and discussed ways to connect scientific research, engineering application and urban governance via international exchanges, so as to expand cooperation space for addressing common challenges in the energy and environment sectors.

Keynote Speeches Present Frontier Achievements in Low-Carbon Transition

From October 20 to 21, eight distinguished experts and scholars delivered keynote speeches, sharing research findings and practical explorations from multiple dimensions including industrial energy conservation, marine carbon sinks, industrial supply chains, decarbonization scenario analysis, carbon capture and utilization, thermal energy utilization, mineral resource guarantee and new pollutant governance.

Academician Ling Wen from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Chairman of Shandong Association for Science and Technology delivered a speech titled Maglev Energy-Saving Technology Empowering Industrial Decarbonization. Centering on the industrialization and application of maglev energy-saving technologies and equipment, the speech elaborated on the technical pathways for source and process carbon reduction through equipment upgrading, and discussed the development prospects of relevant energy-saving solutions in industrial equipment renewal, technological transformation and scenario expansion, providing a reference for improving energy efficiency in industrial sectors.

Professor Raimund Bleischwitz from the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research and the University of Bremen delivered a speech titled Blue Solution Pathways to Bridge Emission Gaps. Focusing on the carbon absorption and storage capacity of tropical coastal ecosystems, the speech explored the synergistic benefits of blue solutions in climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation, and analyzed the pathways for joint implementation of relevant solutions by governments, enterprises and local stakeholders.

Professor Joseph Sarkis from Worcester Polytechnic Institute delivered a speech titled Beyond Net-Zero: Reshaping Industry, Technology and Supply Chains. The speech extended the discussion on industrial transformation to resource circulation and ecosystem restoration, analyzed the supporting role of artificial intelligence, digitalization and advanced analytical technologies, and explored how industries and supply chains can evolve into resilient regenerative systems that support natural ecological restoration.

Professor Toshihiko Masui from Osaka University and the National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan delivered a speech titled Application of Asia-Pacific Integrated Assessment Models in Decarbonization Scenario Construction. The speech introduced the application of the Asia-Pacific Integrated Model (AIM) in decarbonization pathway research in Japan and other Asian countries, analyzed the emission reduction contributions of energy demand adjustment, energy efficiency improvement, electrification, low-carbon energy and negative emission measures, and presented quantitative scenario analysis methods to support the formulation of climate policies and long-term development strategies.

Professor Neven Duić from the University of Zagreb, Croatia, delivered a speech titled The Role of Carbon Capture and Utilization in a Low-Carbon Future. Based on the development of renewable energy and end-use electrification, the speech identified sectors that still require carbon-containing fuels and raw materials in the future, explored the roles of biomass, direct air carbon capture and carbon utilization, and discussed the development demands for sustainable aviation fuels, shipping methanol and chemical raw materials.
On the morning of October 21, Professor Wang Ruzhu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University delivered a speech titled Heat Pump-Driven Thermal Energy Decarbonization. The speech systematically illustrated the technical system for efficient utilization of low-grade environmental thermal energy and industrial waste heat, and demonstrated the application potential of heat pump technologies in building energy supply, industrial steam production and waste heat recovery, including heat-driven refrigeration, air-source heat pumps and vapor compression heat pumps, providing technical ideas for energy conservation and carbon reduction in the construction and industrial sectors.

Professor Saleem H. Ali from the University of Delaware and the University of New South Wales delivered a speech titled Mineral Resource Demands for Carbon Capture and Utilization Technologies. Focusing on the material and resource guarantee challenges behind the large-scale deployment of low-carbon technologies, the speech analyzed the changing demands for mineral resources and key materials in carbon dioxide conversion and Power-to-X technologies, and explored how technological equipment manufacturing and resource supply can adapt to growing deployment needs, offering a new perspective for evaluating resource conditions in energy transition.

Professor Gu Cheng from Nanjing University delivered a speech titled Construction of Confined Systems for Efficient Degradation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances. Addressing the problem of difficult degradation of persistent perfluorinated organic pollutants, the speech introduced methods to promote electron transfer and improve hydrated electron utilization efficiency through self-assembled micelle confined systems, and analyzed the effects of intermolecular interactions on pollutant degradation and defluorination, providing technical references for new pollutant governance.

The eight keynote speeches covered engineering technological innovation, systematic assessment and resource and environmental governance, fully reflecting the interdisciplinary characteristics of low-carbon research and providing valuable insights for participating scholars to exchange research methods and expand cooperation directions.

Green City Forum Explores Implementation Pathways for Net-Zero Goals

As a key segment of the conference, the high-level Green City Forum carried out roundtable discussions on the localized implementation of urban net-zero goals. Hosted by Associate Director Chau Loon Wai of the Low Carbon Asia Research Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, the forum invited Professor Ho Chin Siong (Director of the Centre), Professor Chen Jie from the School of International and Public Affairs of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Syed Norul Shahril Syed Nasir, Chief Executive Officer of the Johor Sustainability Centre, to share insights. The participants discussed the translation of scientific assessments into actionable urban initiatives from the perspectives of emission modeling and spatial planning, housing policies and market incentives, and regional project organization and climate financing. Integrating planning guidance, economic incentives and implementation guarantees, the forum highlighted experience sharing between Shanghai and Southeast Asian cities, providing a solid foundation for deepening low-carbon development cooperation among Asian cities.

For the first time, the conference launched and presented the Green City Awards to recognize outstanding contributions to urban green development. The awards were conferred upon the Johor Sustainability Centre and Dewan Bandaraya Kuching Utara (DBKU) in recognition of their remarkable achievements in sustainable urban planning, environmental protection and green governance. The award aims to acknowledge the practical outcomes of award-winning institutions in sustainable urban development and encourage local governments and relevant organizations to integrate green concepts into urban management and construction.

In-Depth Parallel Sessions Connect Research Innovations with Practical Applications

The conference’s parallel sessions focused on diverse frontier fields including energy storage and power systems, renewable energy, hydrogen energy and alternative fuels, industrial decarbonization, waste resource utilization, sustainable materials, low-carbon transportation, ecological protection and climate governance. Participants shared research achievements, exchanged technical methods and practical experience through thematic reports and poster presentations, offering a valuable platform for young scholars to broaden their international horizons and strengthen academic connections.

Special thematic sessions on Emerging Hydrogen Technologies for Sustainable Systems and Applications and Low-Carbon Solutions and Sustainable Development for Agriculture and Forest Ecosystems were set up to explore the correlation between technological innovation and life cycle assessment, economic feasibility and environmental benefits. In addition, technical visits to the Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Low-Carbon Agriculture and organic waste treatment enterprises were arranged to integrate academic exchanges with engineering practices.

Fruitful Academic Exchanges Pave the Way for Future Cooperation

On the afternoon of October 21, the closing ceremony of the 12th International Conference on Low Carbon Asia was held, co-hosted by Professor Lee Chiew Ting from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Associate Professor Zhang Zhendong from the China-UK Low Carbon College of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, marking the successful conclusion of the two-day academic event. Through keynote speeches, thematic seminars and poster exchanges, the conference comprehensively displayed research progress in low-carbon technology, resource circulation and sustainable development, building a solid platform for scholars from various countries and regions to share achievements, exchange experience and expand cooperation.

Award ceremonies for the Best Oral Presentation Award, Best Paper Award and Best Poster Award were held at the closing ceremony. Multiple students from the China-UK Low Carbon College won the Best Oral Presentation Award with their solid research work and outstanding academic presentations. The achievements fully demonstrated the solid scientific research capability and excellent academic demeanor of the college’s graduate students, as well as the college’s fruitful outcomes in low-carbon talent cultivation and international academic exchanges.

Subsequently, Professor Geng Yong, Dean of the China-UK Low Carbon College and Conference Chair, delivered the closing speech. He extended sincere gratitude to all parties for their strong support for the conference, expressed the expectation to gather diverse forces to advance global low-carbon development, and congratulated all award-winning scholars. In the flag handover ceremony, Professor Geng Yong formally handed over the conference flag to the incoming host, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Indonesia.

On the morning of October 22, Associate Professor Zhang Zhendong led participants to conduct field visits. The group first visited the long-term low-carbon agriculture experimental base of the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences to gain in-depth insights into frontier low-carbon agricultural technologies and practical achievements, including emission reduction technologies for water-saving and drought-resistant rice and low-carbon and efficient ecological planting and breeding models. Afterwards, the delegation visited Shanghai Wenxin Biotechnology Co., Ltd. to learn about the complete process system of kitchen waste resource utilization and the whole-chain resource recycling model of kitchen waste from "dining tables to farmlands".

The successful holding of the conference further strengthened the connections between the China-UK Low Carbon College and universities, research institutions and industrial partners at home and abroad, creating favorable conditions for in-depth joint research and international exchanges in the low-carbon field. Adhering to its international education characteristics and interdisciplinary advantages in low-carbon energy, low-carbon environment and carbon finance, the college will continue to promote the coordinated development of talent cultivation, scientific research and social services. It will deepen international cooperation in response to green and low-carbon transformation demands, and contribute Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s strength to serving China’s "dual carbon" strategy and advancing global sustainable development.