On the afternoon of November 16, Wang Shi, the founder of Vanke Group, the founder of Deepstone Group, and the chairman of Vanke Public Welfare Foundation, arrived in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. He headed straight to the venue of the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) to attend the “Dialogue with the World, Building a Zero-Carbon Future Ecology” themed side event at the China Pavilion, sharing his insights from a recent visit to Indonesia to investigate energy transition.
Due to a right shoulder injury from rock climbing, he had to undergo a minimally invasive surgery before the conference. Arriving at the scene, his right arm was immobilized, but it did not affect his eloquent speech on stage.
On November 17, Wang Shi rode a bike along the seaside of Baku’s Riga Bay, completing his “signature event” for attending the climate conference. Photo provided by the interviewee.
On the second day in Baku, he appeared at the seaside of Riga Bay, cycling with one hand, completing his signature event for attending the climate conference. He even attended the “2024 Global Canal Crossing Action Final Event”.
“This time, I can’t row with my arm, but I can be the helmsman,” he said with a smile.
Since its first launch at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the “Global Canal Crossing Action” has held its final event at the venue of the climate conference every year. This year, as the fourth action, it not only continued traditional events such as rowing and dragon boat racing but also incorporated new forms such as kayaking and canoeing.
Wang Shi is the initiator of the Global Canal Crossing Action. He believes that in the context of climate change, this cross-cultural journey accompanied by water not only provides inspiration for low-carbon development but also inspires the global younger generation to turn environmental protection concepts into concrete actions.
“This is not just a water race; it is also a symbol of global collaboration and the determination of all humanity to work together to address climate change,” Wang Shi said.
Before departing for Baku, Wang Shi announced this trip on social media. Wang Shi, who has attended the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for 16 consecutive years, has continuously brought Chinese enterprises’ climate solutions to the forefront of international climate governance, becoming a “representative figure” for China at the climate conference.
In 2009, when Wang Shi first attended the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP15) held in Copenhagen, Denmark, only three people accompanied him, representing over 100 Chinese enterprises at the conference. Fifteen years later, according to incomplete statistics, over 400 Chinese enterprises attended the conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, this year. This increase is not only in numbers but also reflects a significant enhancement of China’s influence on the international stage.
On November 13, Biosphere 3 opened, and Liu Zhenmin, China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, attended and delivered a speech. Afterwards, the participating guests took a group photo with him.
On the evening of the 16th, after the side event at the China Pavilion, Wang Shi accepted an exclusive interview with The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) at the “Solutions Pavilion” of Biosphere 3.
This year, the “Solutions Pavilion” of Biosphere 3 organized by Wang Shi is adjacent to the China Pavilion, facing enterprises directly and sharing innovative solutions of Chinese enterprises in addressing climate change. He said he was happy to play the role of a bridge. He shared the carbon-neutral community built in the Dameisha community in Shenzhen: through building energy efficiency improvements, new energy substitutions, and carbon asset management, they have explored a comprehensive solution for the “Biosphere 3” carbon-neutral community. Importantly, these upgrades are achieved through commercial operations, with the shortest return period reduced to 5 years through energy revenue and the activation of property assets.
As an entrepreneur, Wang Shi特别强调the importance of commercial sustainability for green and low-carbon development. He said that in 2020, when China announced its “dual carbon” goals, “I immediately decided to start a second entrepreneurial journey because I believe that the carbon-neutral economy is an inevitable trend, and achieving the ‘dual carbon’ goals requires enterprises and entrepreneurs to establish new business models amidst challenges.”
The following are partial interview contents:
“Dual Carbon” Goals Present Opportunities for Entrepreneurs
The Paper: Starting from COP28, you organized Biosphere 3 to face enterprises directly, and this year in Baku, you continued to establish this pavilion. It seems that you enjoy playing the role of a bridge?
Wang Shi: Economic development stability should consider three forces: government, enterprises, and communities, which can be said as the mobilization of the public, or NGOs in occasions like the climate conference. How can these three forces collaborate with each other? The role of the bridge you mentioned earlier is actually connection.
Among them, entrepreneurs play a more significant role. They are willing to see opportunities, take risks, and mobilize resources to maximize benefits. Since you asked why I am willing to play this connecting role, it is obviously because it can maximize benefits.
Slogan inside the COP29 venue
The Paper: Is this related to your earlier experiences of attending the climate conference? At the Copenhagen conference, only three Chinese entrepreneurs, including you, attended, and you had to hold your press conference in the corridor.
Wang Shi: That was in 2009 when I first attended the Copenhagen Climate Conference. It was like Liu Laolao entering the Grand View Garden.
China’s reform and opening-up are, in a sense, an important part of Chinese modernization. From its characteristics, the first is opening the country’s doors, and the second is introducing internationally common commercial practices, which we then absorb, digest, and critique. Attending the climate conference is also such a process.
I have attended the climate conference for 16 years, and I think it is the same as economic reform and opening-up. For example, China’s manufacturing industry is not only a world-class manufacturing factory but also, in many manufacturing sectors, especially in the new energy industry, it has not only caught up with developed countries but even surpassed them, leading the way.
This also aligns with China’s process of bearing responsibilities as a developing country in global climate change responses. In developing countries, when an enterprise develops, it should also bear responsibilities.
Optimistic About Addressing Climate Change
The Paper: In the past two years, extreme weather events caused by climate change have occurred frequently. Are you still as optimistic as before about humanity’s efforts to address climate change?
Wang Shi: This has not changed. Firstly, my fundamental attitude is optimistic.
When there was not yet widespread awareness of addressing climate change, I was already pushing forward. So when the country announced the “dual carbon” goals, I saw tremendous opportunities. It is because I am optimistic that I see the path of business opportunities.
Without the original optimism and active progress, we certainly would not have the current situation. Although the main topic of this climate conference is funding, if the funding issue cannot be resolved, does that mean the issue of addressing climate change cannot proceed?
I believe that whether the funds can be raised is one question, but how can the raised funds be used efficiently? How should they be allocated? Many people are reluctant to contribute because they are concerned about efficiency.
In 2020, when I decided to start a new business, I already felt that our country’s proposal of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality presented significant opportunities for business. Achieving this goal relies on technological innovation, whether it’s reducing energy consumption or lowering power generation costs. Many issues, such as the instability of new energy grids, cannot be solved overnight, but you can expect that in the near future, or over a longer period, this problem can be resolved. I am an optimist. From a positive perspective, if there are no safety regulations, including for nuclear power, I would actively promote it. That’s from an optimist’s perspective.