After attending the China-U.S. Low-Carbon Cities Summit in Beijing, C40 traveled to Shenzhen to host a workshop on Municipal Building Efficiency and take part in the Fourth Shenzhen International Low Carbon City Forum.
Delegates from 14 C40 cities attended the C40 Municipal Buildings Efficiency Workshop to exchange knowledge and best practices around behavioral change and governance, energy performance contracting, and data management. C40 thanks the Shenzhen Green and Low Carbon Development Foundation and former Deputy Mayor of Shenzhen, Tang Jie, for hosting the workshop.
C40’s Zoe Sprigings, Head of the Energy Initiative, opening the first session of the Municipal Building Efficiency workshop at the Shenzhen Green and Low Carbon Development Foundation offices.
The first day of the C40 workshop closed with a tour of the Shenzhen Institute of Building Research’s award-winning low carbon building.
As the C40 workshop wrapped up, the Shenzhen International Low Carbon City Forum began. The Forum was attended by approximately 3,000 people, and included speeches by former Vice President of the United States, Al Gore, Deputy Mayor of Paris, Patrick Klugman, Deputy Mayor of Athens, George Apostolopoulos, as well as presentations from a number of C40 cities, including Cape Town, Houston, London, Stockholm, Tshwane, and Washington DC.
During his opening remarks former Vice President of the United States, Al Gore, said:
"Scientists have long told us: “Yes, we have to change” but now mother nature is telling us in an increasingly forceful way: “We have to change!” The change in Shenzhen is encouraging. Shenzhen is a pioneer that can be emulated around the world…If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far go together. Our current challenge is that we must go far quickly…Because of initiatives by the leaders of China, the cooperation of China and the US and leadership shown by officials and cities from all over the world, represented here today, we are on a course to a positive future."
Press conference at the Shenzhen International Low Carbon City Forum. From left to right: Bella Liu (Shenzhen GDF), Patrick Klugman (Paris), Mark Chambers (Washington DC), George Apostolopoulos (Athens), Jonas Tolf (Stockholm), Simon Hansen (C40), and Cai Yu (Shenzhen DRC)
