[Activity] Chairman Jai-chul Choi Visits Shenzhen…Examining Urban Carbon Neutrality Models through Climate Change Leadership Academy Field Study > 게시글

Chairman Jai-chul Choi visited Shenzhen, China, from April 23 to 25 as part of a field study for the Climate Change Center’s flagship green leadership program, the Climate Change Leadership Academy (25th cohort). The visit aimed to strengthen practice-oriented learning that integrates policy, industry, and on-the-ground implementation, while identifying strategic insights applicable to Korea’s climate response.

During the visit, Chairman Choi toured key sites including the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Ecology and Environment, a renewable energy-based Virtual Power Plant (VPP), the Longgang Energy Ecological Park (resource circulation facility), and the museum of BYD. These visits provided a comprehensive view of how urban systems are structured to support carbon neutrality and industrial transition.

Shenzhen is widely recognized for implementing the environmental policy vision of Xi Jinping—“lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets”—by integrating full-scale waste-to-energy systems, public–private partnership-based energy operations, and advanced industrial development. The city demonstrates a shift from declaration-driven to implementation-driven climate action, highlighting how policy, industry, and infrastructure can operate in an integrated manner at the urban level.

Chairman Choi noted that the visit provided an opportunity to examine how climate response is designed and implemented across entire urban systems, beyond individual policies or technologies. He emphasized that the close linkage between resource circulation, energy systems, and industrial transition offers meaningful insights for Korea’s carbon neutrality strategies. He also highlighted the role of the Climate Change Leadership Academy in equipping future climate leaders with integrated understanding and practical capabilities, and reaffirmed the Center’s commitment to expanding education and collaboration networks based on global best practices.