The kick-off meeting for BRI vehicles low-carbon standards research and demonstration project & seminar on sustainable transportation was successfully held in Beijing on 25 October, 2024. Organized by BRI International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC), the meeting was addressed by Ms. Cui Dandan, Secretary-General of BRIGC, Ms. Han Wei, Director of Industry Program and Acting Director of International Cooperation Taskforce from Energy Foundation China, as well as Mr. Zhao Mingnan, Chief Engineer of China Automotive Carbon (Beijing) Digital Technology Center Co., Ltd. Mr. Zhang Jianyu, Chief Development Officer of BRIGC, chaired the meeting.

The meeting launched the BRI vehicles low-carbon standards research and demonstration project. At the opening ceremony, Cui Dandan expressed sincere gratitude to Chinese and international partners for their long-term support to BRIGC. She noted that green transport is one of the priorities for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The green and low-carbon development of the automobile industry could not only facilitate China’s efforts to achieve its carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, but also contribute to the green transition of BRI partner countries. The project is expected to better align the standards in BRI partner countries, and explore solutions for the implementation of research outcomes in these countries.

BRIGC introduced the project background, research outline, expected deliverables and work plan. This project will focus on the carbon footprint accounting standards and certification rules for passenger vehicles, so as to establish unified standards and rules applicable for BRI partner countries. It will also lay the groundwork for future research on carbon footprint rating evaluation standards and low-carbon vehicles identification.

Experts attending the meeting had an in-depth discussion on the project research outline and key issues involved. They agreed that the carbon footprint management of key products such as new energy vehicles is currently a main trend of research at home and abroad. Most BRI partner countries have formulated strategic goals and policies to electrify their auto fleet, and have made breakthroughs in terms of the output and sales of EVs and charging infrastructure construction. However, the lack of carbon emission standards and underdeveloped charging infrastructure still pose challenges for the low-carbon transition of the transport sector, which needs to be addressed with the guidance of low-carbon standards and policy support.

This project is in line with the trend of carbon footprint management of the global automobile industry chain. The relevant research outcomes will be conducive to building unified standards for low-carbon vehicles in BRI partner countries, thereby promoting mutual recognition of products and unimpeded trade, which is of great significance to promoting the low-carbon development of BRI automobile industry.

The meeting also shared the current status and trend of the auto industry in Indonesia and Thailand, as well as the latest progress and practices in the field of sustainable transport at home and abroad. During discussion, experts expressed their expectations and support for the project carried out by BRIGC. They also advised the following: to develop carbon emission accounting standards in line with international standards; to establish a carbon footprint evaluation and information disclosure system in stages; to enhance low-carbon international exchanges and cooperation; and to improve the linkage of the upper and lower stream of the low-carbon automobile industry to reduce emission.

About 30 representatives from international organizations, research institutes, and enterprises attended the meeting in hybrid form, including Energy Foundation, International Council on Clean Transportation, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Institute for Essential Services Reform of Indonesia, Thailand Automotive Institute, Strategy 613, China Automotive Carbon (Beijing) Digital Technology Center Co. Ltd., Transport Planning and Research Institute of Ministry of Transport of China, China Academy of Environmental Sciences, China Quality Certification Center, China National Institute of Standardization, BYD Auto Engineering Research Institute, Changan Automobile Engineering Research Institute, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd and Gotion High-Tech.