China Pavilion Digitalization Day Side Events on Sustainable AI and Climate Change

Time: 18 November, 9:30–13:30
Venue: China Pavilion

Guiding Organization: Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE)
Host Organization: Alibaba Group
Participating Organizations: International Telecommunication Union (ITU); World Meteorological Organization (WMO); National Climate Center of China; China Academy of Information and Communications Technology; Peking University

COP30 marks the third consecutive year that the China Pavilion has hosted a Digitalization Day, underscoring the critical role of a dual digital and green transformation in shaping a sustainable future for humanity. On Tuesday, November 18, 2025, from 9:30 to 13:30, Alibaba—along with partners and under the guidance of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE)—co-organized a series of high-level side events under the theme “Sustainable Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.

The program spotlighted three key tracks:
– Green AI: Frontiers and Practices
– AI for Climate Services
– AI for Sponge Earth

Featuring keynote speeches, expert panel discussions, and a series of strategic announcements, the event showcased cutting-edge technologies and real-world applications. By convening stakeholders across government, academia, research institutions, and industry, the session aimed to advance cross-sector collaboration and foster international dialogue on how AI could accelerate climate action and sustainable development.

Side Event I: Sustainable AI and Climate Change
9:30-9:45 Remarks
Moderator: Wei Liu, Head of ESG Strategy, Alibaba Group & UN World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP) Science Committee member
Speakers:
– Mr. Gao Li, Vice Minister, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China ·
– Ana Toni, CEO of COP30 (INVITED) OR Another high-level representative from Brazil
– Tomas Lamanauskas (video remark), Deputy Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union

9:50-11:20 Session 1
Green AI Frontiers and Practices
Moderator: Chen Changyan, Director of Public Affairs, Taotian Group
Keynote Speeches :·
– Kebin He, Academician of China Academy of Engineering & Professor, Director of Tsinghua University ·
– Albert Park, Chief Economist, Asian Development Bank (10 minutes) ·
– Jean Manuel Canet, Vice-Chairman, ICT and Climate Change, ITU Telecommunication Standardization Bureau (10 minutes)

Case Presentations and Launch (8 minutes each) ·
– Yuejun Yan, Global Data Center Director and Director of Sustainable Innovation, Alibaba Cloud ·
– Lun Li, Director, Hardware-Software & Innovation Ecosystem Department, AI Research Institute, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) ·
– Shuting Tong, Director of Public Affairs, Xianyu

Panel Discussion (30 minutes) ·
– Li Fang, Director, World Resources Institute China ·
– Yusen Chen, Senior Vice President, Alibaba Cloud (To be confirmed) ·
– TBD, Deloitte Sustainability

11:20-12:25 Session 2
AI for Climate Services Keynote Speeches: (10 minutes each) ·
– Amir H. Delju, Senior Scientific Officer, Climate Services Division, Services Department, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ·
– Jiashuang Yuan, Deputy Director, National Climate Center of China ·
– Dr. Lucy Mtilatila, Director of National Meteorological Service, Malawi
– Dr. Liang Sun, Algorithm Director, Decision Intelligence Lab, Alibaba Damo Academy ·
– TBD from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore ·
– Albert Park, Chief Economist, ADB


Side Event II: AI for Sponge Earth
Moderator: Felipe Taufik Daud, Director of Public Affairs, Americas, Alibaba Group
12:30-12:40 Remarks (5 minutes) ·
– Zheng Li, Member of the National Expert Committee on Climate Change, and Dean, School of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua University ·
– Representative from Brazil

12:40-13:05 Keynotes Speeches ·
– Dihua Li, Vice Dean, College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Peking University ·
– Ana Castro, Professor; Dean, Brazilian College of Advanced Studies, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

13:05-13:30 Panel Discussion
Moderator: Wei Liu, Scientific Committee Member, UN World Climate Adaptation Science Programme ·
– Ana Castro, Professor; Dean, Brazilian College of Advanced Studies, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro ·
– Dihua Li, Vice Dean, College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Peking University ·
– Zheng Li, Member of the National Expert Committee on Climate Change, and Dean, School of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua University ·
– TBD, WRI Brazil