BEIJING, Aug. 28, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of the efforts to support exchange of experience of developing countries and facilitate dialogue on development solutions from China, the United Nations Development Programme in China (UNDP) hosted a high level "Low-Carbon Development and Financing Solutions" workshop today in Beijing.
The workshop brought together representatives from over 20 different Belt and Road (BRI) countries to discuss how China's low-carbon solutions and development financing may benefit developing countries, including providing concrete examples to countries and institutions of new innovative models for development financing.
"China has become a major economic partner for other developing countries, providing not only increasing financing but also critical knowledge, skills and technology that have proven to be relevant to other developing countries' national contexts," highlighted Nicholas Rosellini, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative. "Given its abundant experience and technology in renewable energy and low-carbon development, China has made important commitments to supporting other countries' low-carbon development and efforts to combat climate change effects" he added.
In the past decade, middle-income countries have been emerging as important South-South cooperation partners to China. Besides bilateral cooperation, possessing human resources and technological capacities, the private sector is able to provide important financial sources and serve as the hub for technological innovation and low carbon development. Involving the private sector in middle-income countries' economic growth will be vital to ensuring a low-carbon development agenda remains a priority and is achievable.
To support this transition towards low-carbon economies, today's workshop provided a platform to introduce China's clean energy technology to BRI countries and discuss how to tailor these to specific contexts. Discussions included how to better understand different countries' development needs and the roles different actors should play.
Participants in the workshop included government officials from China and over twenty other developing countries from Asia and Africa, including Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nigeria and Philippines and representatives from leading Chinese and international financial institutions, such as National Energy Administration, AIIB, China Development Bank and CADFund, as well as key private sector companies.
In addition, the overseas delegations will have the opportunity to visit the world's first panda-shaped solar power plant based in Datong, built by Panda Green Energy Group, who is partnering on the exchange. The site visit will engage key government officials from the energy sector with China's top solar panel technology and provide a platform for further dialogue around China's technology transfer to developing countries.
"It is the long-term vision and goal of Panda Green Energy Group to bring clean energy to the world. In the future, using our advanced technology and innovative model, we will provide Belt and Road countries with green energy solutions tailored to their national contexts. Let every corner of the world see the smile of our panda" said Alan Li, CEO of Panda Green Energy Group.
Looking forward, UNDP hopes to continue engaging a diverse range actors and facilitating south-south cooperation and knowledge-sharing to make use of innovative projects, tools, and solutions, create more sustainable economic development and deliver the low-carbon development agenda, as well as work towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground in around 170 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations. www.undp.org
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