Tsinghua University Releases Report on Carbon Neutrality Progress

International experts and policymakers convened at Tsinghua University on September 22 for a high-level seminar on global carbon neutrality. The event served as the launch for the "2026 Global Carbon Neutrality Annual Progress Report," which examines factors accelerating or hindering the transition in 198 countries and regions.

The seminar was part of a series celebrating the fifth anniversary of Tsinghua's Institute for Carbon Neutrality (ICON) and the sixth anniversary of China's "Dual-Carbon" goals. Attendees included representatives from government, academia, and international organizations, such as Li Gao, China's Vice Minister of Ecology and Environment, and Erik Solheim, former UN Under-Secretary-General.

Presented by Tsinghua University Professor Wang Can, the report utilizes over 200 indicators to assess progress. It identifies a new phase of transition towards a low-carbon economy, increasingly driven by technological advancements, but constrained by systemic factors. While mature technologies like wind, solar, and electric vehicles continue to gain traction, the report highlights significant bottlenecks in grid integration, financing, and market mechanisms.

Challenges in commercializing new technologies, such as green hydrogen and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), remain substantial. The report suggests that despite technological progress, the pace and scale of the global transition will increasingly depend on parallel advancements in financing, infrastructure, markets, and international cooperation, particularly for developing economies.