Cooperation on Energy Efficiency deepened under the impression of carbon neutrality goal

6th Meeting of the Sino-German Working Group on Energy Efficiency

The Sino-German Working Group on Energy Efficiency convened for the sixth time on 9 December 2020. Headed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and the National Development and Reform Commission of the PR China (NDRC), both sides reviewed the progress of the Sino-German cooperation in 2019-2020 and adopted the working plan for 2021.  BMWi and NDRC agreed to deepen the exchange on energy efficiency and push forward the Sino-German demonstration projects on energy efficiency in industry, city quarters and the cooperation on energy efficiency networks.  This year’s meeting was held online.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Liu Dechun, Director General of NDRC’s Department of Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection, expressed that China and Germany should further deepen their cooperation on energy efficiency and promote multilateralism. He put forward four suggestions: first, to explore the potentials of existing cooperation projects between China and Germany, such as the demonstration projects on energy efficiency in industry and city quarters; second, to continuously expand the energy efficiency cooperation between China and Germany; third, to develop economic and trade cooperation in energy saving and environmental protection industries; and fourth, to strengthen the energy efficiency cooperation between China and Germany in the international and multilateral fields.

Mr. Thorsten Herdan, Director General of BMWi’s Energy Policy Department, emphasized that China's commitment to carbon neutrality is a positive signal that world is now moving towards the same climate goal. He expressed the German side’s wish to strengthen the energy efficiency cooperation with China, explore new multilateral cooperation topics such as the international carbon market and green hydrogen trading, and continue to cooperate within the existing multilateral platforms, such as the G20’s Energy Efficiency Hub.

In the following session, both sides discussed the achievements, progress and upcoming working plans of the Sino-German demonstration projects on energy efficiency in industry and on energy efficiency in city quarters as well as the Sino-German cooperation on energy efficiency networks, and adopted the working plan for 2021.

The Sino-German Working Group on Energy Efficiency is an important cooperation mechanism between Germany and China and set up as part of the Sino-German Economic and Technological Cooperation Forum. The working group meets once a year to review previous achievements and progresses and to identify areas and activities for future cooperation between BMWi and NDRC. The ongoing exchange on energy efficiency policies, regulations and technological innovations between Germany and China is key for enhancing both countries’ energy transitions and facilitate fertile business environments in Germany and China.

For more information on the Sino-German Working Group on Energy Efficiency, please contact:

Ms. Yin Yuxia (yuxia.yin(at)giz.de)

Project Director of the Sino-German Energy Partnership, GIZ 

BMWi

NDRC

GIZ