Summer Schools & Courses

On the morning of July 28, 2025, the 7th China Emission Accounts and Datasets (CEADs) Future Scholars Summer School opened in Deqing County, Huzhou, Zhejiang Province. With strong support and guidance from the Administrative Center for China Agenda 21 and the Beijing Office of the Zhejiang Provincial Government, this year's summer school was jointly hosted by the Department of Earth System Science at Tsinghua University, the Institute for Carbon Neutrality at Tsinghua University, the Institute for Carbon Neutrality at Zhejiang University, and the College of Energy and Carbon Neutrality at Zhejiang University of Technology. It was co-organized by the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Huzhou Association for Science and Technology, the Organization Department of the CPC Deqing County Committee, the Deqing Association for Science and Technology, the School of Earth System Science at Tianjin University, University College London, and the University of Birmingham.

The CEADs team has successfully held six previous summer schools on carbon accounting. The program is committed to cultivating young talent in carbon neutrality with global vision, interdisciplinary competence, and local capacity for action through systematic coursework, research practice, and international collaboration. It also supports talent development and knowledge innovation for China's dual carbon strategy.

This year's program attracted more than 160 scholars of different age groups from over 150 universities worldwide, building an international academic collaboration network.

Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony was chaired by Professor Guan Dabo, Chair Professor of Basic Science at Tsinghua University and Vice Dean of the Institute for Carbon Neutrality at Tsinghua University.

Cai Yongbo, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Beijing Office of the Zhejiang Provincial Government, noted that Huzhou is the birthplace of the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and that it carries an important mission in ecological civilization. He said that the Beijing Office of the Zhejiang Provincial Government will continue to support research teams represented by CEADs in working deeply with local communities and promoting the practical application of research outcomes.

Zhang Yongtao, Deputy Director of the Administrative Center for China Agenda 21, stated that carbon accounting is an important foundation for achieving the dual carbon goals, and that improving data quality and application capacity is a key task for national green development. He introduced that the center is leading the preparation of the Fifth National Assessment Report on Climate Change, and encouraged young scholars to find a sense of mission in interdisciplinary research and technological innovation, serving the country and benefiting the world.

Zeng Rong, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Tsinghua University Committee and Executive Vice President of Tsinghua University, delivered remarks by video. He noted that global climate change is one of the most severe challenges of the 21st century. Tsinghua University has established the Institute for Carbon Neutrality around the dual carbon goals and is promoting green development under the Belt and Road Initiative. He encouraged young scholars to stay committed to their ideals and convictions, and to explore innovative pathways through the integration of technology and policy.

Wu Zhiyong, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Huzhou Municipal Committee, Head of the Municipal Social Work Department, and Secretary of the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Commission, said that seeing beautiful China in Huzhou reflects the city's philosophy of green development and its practical spirit of striving for excellence. He expressed hope that young scholars would spark new ideas at the practice site of the Two Mountains theory and actively engage with the frontier of green development.

Sun Jie, Chief Sustainability Officer of Envision Group, said by video that the world is undergoing a profound green technology revolution, and that companies also need to transform into sustainable platforms empowered by technology and driven by data. He emphasized that Envision has achieved carbon neutrality for three consecutive years and will continue to support research innovation, while encouraging young people to take practical action through programs such as the Carbon Neutrality Young Scholars Challenge Award.

Welcome Remarks

During the welcome remarks, Gao Xiang, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and President of Zhejiang University of Technology, emphasized that carbon accounting databases are the measurement benchmark for implementing the dual carbon goals, while climate change datasets are the intelligent brain for global governance. He said that Zhejiang University of Technology continues to advance green and low-carbon development, new energy, new materials, and related fields, and will strengthen talent cultivation and research collaboration to support the realization of the dual carbon goals.

Ding Hui, Member of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission of the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, pointed out that the quality of carbon emissions data is an important foundation for advancing international cooperation and institutional development. In recent years, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment has taken the lead in building a unified and standardized carbon emissions statistical accounting system, while steadily advancing carbon market development, greenhouse gas accounting, and international dialogue on product carbon footprints. He encouraged young scholars to participate deeply in the global climate agenda and become the most dynamic force for green development.

He Kebin, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the Institute for Carbon Neutrality at Tsinghua University, said that carbon data is not only a core resource supporting policymaking and international competitiveness, but also a new productive fuel that drives and feeds back into the development of AI. He encouraged young researchers to strengthen their data awareness, build interdisciplinary capacity, and play a leading role in system innovation during the dual carbon transition.

Wang Bo, Secretary of the CPC Deqing County Committee, introduced that Deqing County is building on its foundation as a national artificial intelligence innovation hub to create a new model that deeply integrates green development and intelligent governance. He sincerely invited young scholars to transform their research outcomes in Deqing, and to jointly turn theory, data, and platforms into a future-oriented practical model.

Master Forum

Afterwards, Academician He Kebin, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the Institute for Carbon Neutrality at Tsinghua University, delivered the summer school Master Forum keynote speech, offering a systematic discussion of carbon neutrality and industrial transformation. He pointed out that extreme weather disasters have become the main type among the top ten natural disasters both globally and in China, and that the world economy is rapidly shifting from energy resource dependence toward technology dependence. Against the backdrop of China's coordinated pathways for carbon peaking, carbon neutrality, and clean air, global energy investment is accelerating its transition, and a clean energy-led pattern has largely taken shape. Academician He proposed advancing carbon neutrality through the coordinated Five-Carbon approach. On the basis of emissions reduction technology needs, he called for integrating carbon neutrality technology lists, identifying key technologies, establishing unified technology screening principles, and forming a five-level carbon neutrality technology system covering technology fields, technology categories, technology subcategories, technology branches, and key technologies. He noted that the three major global priorities for carbon neutrality are key core technology innovation, security of critical materials in new energy industry supply chains, and the development of a sound support system for dual carbon action.

CEADs Teaching Session

In the afternoon, the organizers introduced the work of CEADs. Dr. Guan Yuru, Li Shuping, and Dr. Lei Tianyang gave detailed introductions to methods and accounting procedures for carbon emissions in Chinese cities, developing countries, and point sources. Participants benefited greatly from these sessions and gained a deeper understanding of carbon emissions accounting. Dr. Huo Jingwen also introduced the construction and application of the global emerging economies multi-regional input-output model, the EMERGING database. The speakers not only shared practical application cases of the model, but also provided detailed step-by-step explanations for building it, helping participants better master this important model.

Through these excellent presentations, participants broadened their knowledge and acquired practical methods for accounting and model construction. We look forward to seeing everyone apply this valuable knowledge fully in future research and practice, and work together to advance green and low-carbon development.

After the presentations, CEADs team staff randomly distributed puzzle pieces to the participants, grouped them, and guided self-introductions. During this process, participants gradually got to know one another, and the atmosphere in the venue became more lively and friendly. Through the puzzle activity, participants practiced teamwork and deepened mutual understanding, laying a solid foundation for the activities ahead. We look forward to more sparks of insight in future interactions and to creating meaningful shared memories together.