China City-business Collaboration Accelerator Workshop at Chengdu

On May 28, 2024, the China City-business Collaboration Accelerator (CiBiX) Workshop was successfully held in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. Under the framework of the GEF-7 UrbanShift Global Platform, the ICLEI East Asia Secretariat aims to solicit innovative solutions and excellent cases from the business community through this event, and build a platform for  cities and enterprises to promote the solutions of urban sustainable development. The event intends to assist  Chengdu in strengthening its recycling system for waste materials and further building the "Zero-waste City".

Shu Zhu, Regional Director and China Representative of ICLEI East Asia Secretariat

This event was organized by the ICLEI East Asia Secretariat and supported by Chengdu City,  China Centre for Urban Development under the National Development and Reform Commission, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme and the European Chamber of Commerce in China. Business representatives from TOMRA, Lvdoya, Tianqi Lithium, and Tongwei were also invited to give their suggestions for Chengdu’s sustainable development. Mr. Shu Zhu, Regional Director and China Representative of ICLEI East Asia Secretary, Mr. Jet Chang, Chair of Environmental Working Group at the European Chamber of Commerce in China, and Dr. Ying-Chih Deng, Senior Officer of the ICLEI World Secretariat, welcomed all the participants at the event.

As a representative from city government, Mr. Sen Zhao, Director of Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection Department of Chengdu Municipal Development and Reform Commission, shared the detailed progress of Chengdu’s construction and promotion of the recycling system for waste materials. In July, 2022, Chengdu was included on the list of key cities for the construction of waste materials recycling system by the National Development and Reform Commision. In the same year, the Implementation Plan for the Construction of Chengdu Waste Material Recycling System (2022-2025) was issued, to be a guide to carry out the city’s recycling development work.

Sen Zhao, Director of Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection Department of Chengdu, DRC

Following Mr. Zhao’s speech, businesses are invited to showcase their innovative solutions and best practices.  Jet Chang, Vice President of TOMRA (Beijing) Public Affairs, shared the case of TOMRA's standardized recycling and high-quality, high-value recycling center in Norway and Xiamen, Shanghai and Chongqing in China.

Xirui Lian, Founder of Sichuan Lvdoya Information Technology, introduced the innovative technology solution at community level-’carbon cabins', which is based on the capabilities of artificial intelligence, block chain and big data. Carbon cabins can be fitted into any industrial park, school, or neighborhood. The carbon cabin adopts a business model of "government-led, market-oriented operation, and public participation". Local governments are responsible for the construction and installation of the cabin and the equipment to make sure it is equipped with in-house weighing, classification, and QR code payment system.  Lvdoya is responsible for operation and management of the carbon cabin. Local community designates low-income residents, property companies, volunteers, etc. to run the cabin. Through a combination of fixed-point recycling and door-to-door services, when the recyclables reach a certain amount, they are transported to the recycling center nearby.

Weina Wang, Director of ESG and Sustainable Development of Tianqi Lithium Corporation and Secretary General of Chengdu Zero Carbon Collaborative Innovation Promotion Association, presented the experience of constructing a near-zero carbon emission zone relying on old material exchange equipment and recycling equipment, etc. in Shenzhen, China.Heng Song, Senior Manager of Carbon Emissions Management of Tongwei Company, shared the company’s innovative solution for improving the effectiveness of polysilicon, the raw material of photovoltaic panels, in reducing cost and increasing efficiency after realizing the recycling of steam and silicon tetrachloride.

Jet Chang, Vice President of TOMRA (Beijing) Public Affairs.

Xirui Lian, Founder and CEO of Sichuan Lvdoya Information Technology.

Weina Wang, Director, ESG & Sustainability, Tianqi Lithium Corporation.

Heng Song, Senior Manager, Carbon Emissions Management, Tongwei Co.

In the interactive ideator workshop, representatives from Chengdu Development and Reform Commission, Bureau of Ecology and Environment, and Foreign Affairs Office, together with the business representatives, discussed the challenges faced by the city in the area of green and low-carbon development.  By analyzing the four aspects of objectives and needs, resource support, cost-benefit analysis, and impact and risk management, the businesses proposed concrete solutions for the city. Finally, the business representatives suggested the establishment of a working group to further study the upstream and downstream cost-benefit and economic, environmental and social benefit analysis of the waste collection system.

Ideator Workshop between government and business representatives.

The CiBiX Workshop not only provides innovative ideas and practical cases for solving the problems of green, low-carbon and cyclic development of cities, but also builds a bridge for the close cooperation between enterprises and cities. As a Global Partner of the GEF-7   UrbanShift project and the organizer of this event, ICLEI demonstrated its leadership and influence in promoting sustainable urban development. In the future, ICLEI will continue to deepen the cooperation between cities and enterprises, and gather the strength of many parties to jointly address environmental challenges and make greater contributions to the realization of a green future.