On August 5rd, the 2025‘Climate x’ Leadership Training Program, hosted by the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate, successfully held the first live session, focusing on Global Climate Governance.

Dr. Hu Bin, an Associate Professor and Director of global climate governance research at Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University, led a distinguished session in the 2025 Climate x Leadership Training Program. His presentation highlighted three critical dimensions of contemporary climate action: the immediacy of climate risks, the global carbon neutrality imperative, and the pivotal role of China-US cooperation in climate governance.

During the lecture, Dr. Hu illustrated the urgency of climate risks with real-life examples from the Tsinghua campus, including recent flooding and storm-related damage, to show how climate change impacts are already visible locally. He emphasized that while carbon neutrality has become a global consensus, each country requires a tailored approach due to distinct national contexts in energy systems, development stages, and governance structures—particularly highlighting China's pathway from peaking emissions to deep decarbonization. Finally, Dr. Hu discussed the complex dynamics of China–US climate cooperation, noting that while academic collaboration remains strong, business partnerships face increasing challenges due to rising protectionism and policy divergence, although state-level initiatives in the US offer hope for renewed progress.

The 2025 Climate x Leadership Training Program, hosted by the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC), and strategically supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and GAUC's global partners, aims to empower youth with the knowledge, skills, and tools to become the climate leaders of tomorrow. The program inspires participants to envision a sustainable future, take meaningful action, and unlock their potential as leaders for a carbon-neutral future.

The second lecture of Global Climate Governance week will take place on August 7th, led by Prof. Kameyama from the University of Tokyo, continuing to explore recent policy developments in the global effort to address this critical challenge.

Reporter: Maximilian Arras

Editor: Najiang An

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