COP30 concluded in Belém, Brazil with a renewed sense of urgency, underscoring the need for the world to move rapidly from ambition to implementation. Energy Foundation China (EF China) helped advance this shift by convening nearly 150 experts, policymakers, financial practitioners, and civil society actors during the conference. Across discussions, one message clearly stood out: the world must move faster to close the gap between long-term targets and real-world delivery.

Photo Source: UNFCCC, COP30 Brasil Amazônia and EF China
https://www.flickr.com/people/cop30amazonia/

Closing the Ambition-Action Gap

Participants agreed that while global ambition continues to rise, real-world delivery must accelerate. Prof. Zou Ji, CEO and President of EF China, highlighted the importance of pragmatic action by all stakeholders—public sectors and private sectors alike—and the need for enhanced international exchange, particularly around energy transition technologies and carbon market design.

Financing the Zero-Carbon Future

It is no secret that scaling climate action will require unprecedented levels of investment. For example, analysis from EF China suggests that it may require USD 20–36 trillion in investment between 2025 and 2060 to achieve carbon neutrality objectives in China. This scale underscores the need for a flexible and adaptive financing approach with strong incentives and diverse funding channels. [On a panel during COP30,] Ms. Fu Sha, Executive Director of Strategy and Synthesis at EF China, stressed this point, noting that reducing the “green premium,” de-risking investments, and directing capital toward scalable solutions are key to accelerating progress.

The discussions also highlighted ways to channel capital toward green innovation and emerging low-carbon solutions. Strengthening context-appropriate economic incentives and clarifying market expectations were noted as essential to expanding the pipeline of investable opportunities. Du Xuan, Program Director for Low Carbon Development at EF China, emphasized that effective market mechanisms, including carbon markets, can work alongside public funding to reduce transition costs and attract more private capital. She added that greater transparency, more consistent standards, and deeper engagement with financial actors can support scalable models for green and transition finance.

Advancing Inclusive, Local Transitions

Progress at the subnational level is essential to achieving global climate goals, where climate ambition leads to real change for people and communities. At COP30, EF China hosted a conversation on just and inclusive transitions, where experts and practitioners from the U.S., Europe, China, and Southeast Asia shared practical insights and community-centered approaches.

In the conversation, Mr. Wang Zhigao, Executive Director of the Cities and Regions Program at EF China, emphasized that cities, states, and provinces serve as living laboratories in developing replicable, community-rooted solutions, and that the energy transition will only succeed if it delivers for all. Mr. Zhang Huiyong, Executive Director of International Cooperation at EF China, added that cross-border exchanges can rapidly build shared understanding of transition pathways, surface context-specific solutions, and identify areas where further research and capacity building are needed.

Looking Ahead

EF China participated in more than a dozen events—contributing to discussions on coal transition finance, methane reduction, community renewable energy, and urban sustainability experience—all of which reinforced our commitment to open, multilateral dialogue.

COP30 helped mark the beginning of an important decade for climate action. EF China looks forward to continuing to serve as a knowledge hub and strategic facilitator, while connecting philanthropic funding to the organizations driving change on the ground. We will keep linking global expertise with local experience, bringing together organizations across sectors, and sharing evidence-based insights to turn the promise of COP30 into real progress for our shared planet.