Jointly hosted by the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), the Ministry of Science and Technology and Tsinghua University, the first in the series of Great Wall Engineering Conferences 2021 was held in Beijing on June 17 and 18.

Themed Key Technological Issues and Engineering Roadmap for Carbon Peaking and Neutrality, the conference discussed issues in six key areas: the development of net-zero emissions energy systems, building a new power system with new energy as the mainstay, reshaping industrial processes and reducing carbon emissions in construction and transportation to meet the goal of carbon neutrality, tightening control of non-carbon-dioxide greenhouse gases, the potential of ecological carbon sinks and carbon removal technologies, and regional demonstrations of carbon neutral technology. As well, major science, technology and engineering projects were put forward.

Qiu Yong, President of Tsinghua University, chaired the opening ceremony. Wang Zhigang, Minister of Science and Technology, and Li Xiaohong, President of the CAE, gave opening remarks. CAE members Du Xiangwan and Jiang Yi and researcher Zhou Dadi gave reports at the event that also attracted nearly 200 representatives from the science and technology community, governments and industries.

In his remarks, Li gave an outlook on China's carbon neutrality and elaborated on the importance of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in the past, present and future. He stressed that carbon peaking and neutrality is an extensive and profound systemic economic and social transformation that brings with it a race for new technologies and new markets. To achieve the initiative’s goals, it’s necessary to strictly control fossil fuels, accelerate cutting-edge research, introduce corresponding policies, adopt innovative concepts and promote governance.

The conference included a plenary session, seminars, expert meetings and closed-door sessions. Participating CAE members and experts conducted in-depth discussions and put forward insights to address practical challenges in realising China's carbon goals.