On the morning of November 9, Antalya, the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC) held GAUC High Level Event at the China Pavilion during the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31). Representatives from governments, international organizations, universities, businesses and youth communities, including those from China, Italy and Australia, gathered to exchange views on global climate governance, energy transition, university collaboration and youth engagement in climate action, exploring ways to translate climate commitments into tangible action.

Hosted by GAUC, the event marked the opening of the China Pavilion's side event programme at COP31. It brought together prominent figures from governments, international organizations, academia, the business sector and youth communities. Among those attending were LI Gao, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment of China; Francesco Corvaro, Special Envoy for Climate Change of Italy; Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA); Gaia Puleston, Branch Head of the International Climate and Energy Division at Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water; and Kay Merce of the UNFCCC Secretariat. The academic community was represented by scholars including Professor LI Zheng, GAUC Secretary-General and Dean of Tsinghua University's Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development; Jonathan Pershing, Dean of the Global School of Sustainability and Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and former U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change; and Professor Llewelyn Hughes, Director of the Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions at the Australian National University, alongside other university scholars and young representatives from leading institutions around the world.

The programme featured high-level remarks, a review and presentation of achievements under GAUC's flagship "Climate x" Campaign, and a cross-regional and intergenerational dialogue, highlighting the contributions of universities and young people to global climate action.

Distinguished Guests and GAUC COP 31 Youth Ambassador

Building International Consensus for Collective Climate Action

High Level Session Hosted by LI Zheng, Secretary-General of GAUC and Dean of Tsinghua University's Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development

Professor LI Zheng, Secretary-General of GAUC and Dean of Tsinghua University's Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, moderated the opening session. He reviewed GAUC's progress since its establishment in 2019 in interdisciplinary research, talent development, international collaboration and youth climate action. He emphasized that universities should further strengthen their role in connecting scientific research with policymaking and practical implementation, while supporting young people in translating climate ambition into meaningful action.

LI Gao, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment of China and Head of the Chinese Delegation to COP31

In his opening remarks, LI Gao, Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment of China and Head of the Chinese Delegation to COP31, stressed the importance of upholding multilateralism and safeguarding the goals and principles of the Paris Agreement. He called on the international community to translate climate commitments into concrete action. He also highlighted China's progress in renewable energy development, green and low-carbon transformation, and international cooperation, encouraging young people to actively participate in global climate governance and turn knowledge and experience into practical contributions to sustainable development.

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA, noted that while significant progress had been made in global renewable energy development, further efforts were needed to accelerate technology deployment and integrate energy systems. He highlighted the important role of universities in technological innovation, professional training and international cooperation, calling for stronger education and skills development for the energy transition and more opportunities for young people, particularly those from developing countries, to participate.

Francesco Corvaro, Special Envoy for Climate Change of Italy

Francesco Corvaro, Special Envoy for Climate Change of Italy, underscored the importance of science in global climate governance. He emphasized that scientific research should provide objective and independent evidence to inform policymaking. He called for closer engagement between the scientific community and policymakers, as well as deeper international cooperation, including scientific collaboration between China and Italy, to advance the global energy transition and climate action.

Gaia Puleston, Branch Head of the International Climate and Energy Division at Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water 

Gaia Puleston, Branch Head of the International Climate and Energy Division at Australia's Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, reviewed progress in China-Australia cooperation on climate change. She emphasized the need for cross-country, cross-institutional and cross-sectoral collaboration to advance the goals of the Paris Agreement. She also highlighted how universities and research institutions can support the scaling up of global climate action through climate risk research, technological innovation and talent development.

Kay Merce, Manager of the Engagement Subdivision in the Communications and Engagement Division of UNFCCC

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Kay Merce, Manager of the Engagement Subdivision in the Communications and Engagement Division of the UNFCCC Secretariat, highlighted the importance of climate education and youth empowerment. She noted that raising climate awareness is only the first step, and that young people also need access to relevant knowledge, skills and practical opportunities. She encouraged universities to make greater use of their roles as educational and public engagement platforms, helping young people move from learning about climate issues to actively participating in and advancing climate solutions.

Showcasing "Climate x" Achievements and Strengthening Global Youth Collaboration

Achievements of the ‘Climate x’ Campaign moderated by Alice Ho, GAUC Chief Youth Officer

Moderated by Alice Ho, GAUC Chief Youth Officer, the next session reviewed the achievements of the ‘Climate x’ Campaign over the year and distinguished guests also presented certificates to the graduates of the 2026 ’Climate x’ Leadership Training Program. Through a youth-led flash talks, participants learned about GAUC's progress in youth capacity building, international exchange and local climate action.

Special Address by Zhang Jiabei

Bella Zhang, Vice President of Strategy & Innovation at Envision Group, delivered special remarks, sharing perspectives from the business sector on energy transition and university-industry collaboration. She highlighted the energy transition’s shift towards integrated systems and global transformation, emphasizing innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and closer links with industry. Envision looks forward to working with Tsinghua University to connect academic research with industrial needs and advance green technologies for global development.

GAUC COP31 Youth Ambassadors Sharing ‘Climate x’ Campaign outcomes

Youth representatives from different universities then presented the outcomes of five initiatives under the ‘Climate x’ Campaign.

LIU Yuqiu of Tsinghua University introduced the Climate x Leadership Training Program, while Abhinav Parewa of the University of Delhi also shared perspectives from the programme.

Ruby Rogers of Sciences Po, WANG Ying of Tsinghua University and Almira Azhibekova of Yale University shared their learning experiences from the Climate x Immersive Summer Program in Guizhou.

CHEN Jintian, LI Zhixuan and SHI Kun, all from Tsinghua University, reflected on their experiences organizing and participating in the Global Youth Summit on Net-zero Future.

ZHU Danfeng, from the University of Tokyo and the United Nations University, and LIN Mingxin of Tsinghua University presented the international collaboration and local engagement activities of Global Youth Climate Week.

ZHANG Yue and SHI Ruizhe of Tsinghua University shared their experiences as members of the COP31 Youth Delegation and their participation in international climate governance.

From interdisciplinary training and field research to international summits and community-based initiatives, these five programmes demonstrated diverse approaches to youth climate engagement. They also reflected GAUC's continued efforts to combine education, exchange and practical experience, enabling young people to translate knowledge into action and connect local experiences with global cooperation networks.

Cross-Regional and Intergenerational Dialogue on Climate Action

The event concluded with a seminar entitled "Cross-Regional & Inter-Generational Dialogue: Multi-Perspectives on Climate Action" moderated by YANG Shuojia, a GAUC Youth Ambassador and student at Tsinghua University.

Cross-Regional and Inter-generational Dialogue Panelists

The discussion brought together Professor Llewelyn Hughes, Director of the Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions at the Australian National University; Jonathan Pershing, Dean of the Global School of Sustainability at the London School of Economics and Political Science and former U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change; and JIA Qiumiao, Deputy Director of the Beijing Climate Change Management Center. They were joined by youth representatives Douglas Fritz from the University of Cambridge, Jacquelin Thai from Yale University, and Hou Li Jia and WANG Yuxuan from Tsinghua University.

Left: Llewelyn Hughes, Director of the Institute for Climate, Energy and Disaster Solutions at the Australian National University

Right: Jonathan Pershing, Dean of the Global School of Sustainability at the London School of Economics and Political Science and former U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change

Participants exchanged views on the implementation of global climate commitments, the large-scale deployment of renewable energy, low-carbon urban transformation and sustainability in higher education. Drawing on perspectives from policy making, academic research and youth engagement, they explored practical pathways for advancing climate action. The discussion highlighted that universities have responsibilities extending beyond scientific research and talent development. Through low-carbon campus initiatives and interdisciplinary collaboration, they can also serve as models for sustainable transformation. Participants further emphasized that young people should be provided with more opportunities to engage in project design, resource allocation and sustainable development decision-making, enabling them to turn innovative ideas into practical solutions.

The high-level event showcased the contributions of universities to climate governance, international cooperation and youth empowerment. Through exchanges among stakeholders and dialogue across generations, it helped build common ground on translating climate commitments into action, while highlighting the role of higher education and young people in strengthening international cooperation and accelerating global climate efforts at COP31.

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