Title of Speech: Challenges to achieving carbon neutrality for China's energy system

Abstract: Rising energy demand, uncertain economic development, and pressing climate change pressure pose challenges to China’s achieving dual carbon goals of carbon peak before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. Carbon neutrality goal not only faces the difficulty of long-time energy system planning with advanced carbon reduction technologies, but also faces multiple uncertainties arising from the inherent complexity. In this study, a set of non-deterministic optimization methods are developed for planning China’s energy system to disclose the interactions among energy, economic, environmental and carbon reduction. These methods cannot only tackle uncertainties presented as random probability distribution and fuzzy information, but also balance the trade-off between system objective and constraint-violation risk. Results under multiple scenarios associated with different CCUS installation rates and risk-response attitudes disclose that, in order to realize carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets, China should gradually reduce fossil fuels (coal and oil) and increase renewable energies (wind power and photovoltaic power). Besides, China should reach peak CO2 emission for its energy system by 2025 to gain time and release the urgency for carbon neutrality. Energy structure transition, CCUS and forest carbon sinks are the keys to achieving carbon neutrality goal. Results provide decision makers with detailed and quantified policy recommendations for China’s energy system management.

Biography: Dr. Yongping Li receives her MSc and PhD Degrees from the University of Regina, Canada. Currently, she is a Changjiang Scholar Professor at Beijing Normal University, China. Her research interests involve in energy and environmental systems analysis, environmental pollution control, water resources management, and decision making under uncertainty. Dr. Li has led or involved in over 60 energy- and environment-related research projects supported by industrial, governmental and international organizations. She has produced 450 peer-refereed international journal papers (SCI-based H-index of 55), and supervised over 80 Master/PhD students. She has been continuously selected as a highly cited scholar in the field of “Environmental Science” (by Elsevier) since 2013. She has been continuously included in Stanford University’s 2020-2023 World Ranking for the world’s top 2 per cent of most-cited scientists in the field of Environmental Engineering. Previously, Dr. Li was received a number of awards such as Distinguished Young Scientist Award, New Century Excellent Talents in University, the National Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar in 2012, the National Award for Youth in Science and Technology, and the National Award for Youth Female Scientist.

Title of Speech: Interaction of environmental risks with economy in small islands

Abstract: This presentation focuses on the unique environmental and economic characteristics of small islands and shows some policy recommendations that take these characteristics into account. Specifically, it is to summarize the environmental and economic characteristics of small islands mainly in the Asia- Pacific region, and to explore what approaches are appropriate to achieve a sustainable society and economy that differs from the models of continental and developed countries.

Biography: Yoko Fujita is a professor of the Research Institute for Islands and Sustainability(RIIS) at the University of the Ryukyus located in Okinawa. Her research interests include environmental economics and island studies. In particular, she has focused on the economic valuation of the natural environment, and the economy of small islands. She has participated in or served as a PI of several island research projects and has interacted with island researchers in various regions and fields. She has published many articles and books as a result of these research projects.
Curriculum Vitae