Peking University HSBC Business School (PHBS) and the Institute of Carbon Neutrality at Peking University (ICN-PKU) convened nearly 100 scholars, policymakers, and industry representatives in Shenzhen on June 16 to address the intersection of climate policy and international trade. The Carbon Economics Salon Series, themed "Breaking through Green Barriers: Carbon Economy Governance and the Reshaping of International Trade Rules," focused on unilateral climate-related trade measures, uneven carbon market development, and the emerging role of artificial intelligence in carbon governance. The event occurred weeks before the APEC Forestry Ministerial Meeting scheduled for July 27-28, where green transition issues are expected to take center stage.

Keynote Insights

Thomas J. Sargent, the 2011 Nobel laureate in economics and honorary director of the PHBS Sargent Institute of Quantitative Economics and Finance, delivered a keynote address emphasizing that uncertainty should encourage earlier investment in green research and development, emissions reduction, and forest conservation. Jiang Kejun, professor and head of the Thrust of Carbon Neutrality and Climate Change at HKUST (Guangzhou), identified 2030–2035 as a critical window for China's energy transition, driven by rapid growth in renewables and electric vehicles. Wu Dengsheng, professor at Shenzhen University, presented a review of carbon economics research, noting that China ranks second worldwide in publications in this field.

Leadership Remarks

In opening remarks, Piao Shilong, vice president of PKU and dean of ICN-PKU, and Hai Wen, vice chair of the PKU Council and founding dean of PHBS, underscored the urgency of building an inclusive global carbon governance system. Wang Pengfei, Boya Distinguished Professor at PKU and dean of PHBS, called for stronger carbon pricing mechanisms and market-based tools. Zhang Haibin, Boya Distinguished Professor at PKU and vice dean of ICN-PKU, delivered closing remarks reaffirming the importance of continued dialogue across disciplines.

Strategic Context

Two roundtable sessions examined the spread of unilateral climate measures and their implications for global trade equity, as well as carbon market cooperation with the Global South. The salon highlighted that carbon governance is increasingly shaped by trade rules, technology, and international coordination. It opened space for continued exchange between PHBS and ICN-PKU on global climate governance and China's "dual carbon" goals, topics expected to feature as APEC economies deepen their climate cooperation.