October 28, Foshan City

A United Nations Development Programme Hydrogen Industry Conference held in China’s Foshan City brought together some of the largest automakers in the country as well as producers of hydrogen fuel cells (FCH), and policy makers, to discuss the developments and future of the FCH industry.

The conference was held October 26-28, guided by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology and co-hosted by UNDP and the China Association of Automobile Manufactures.

The Conference provided a platform for the hydrogen economy and showcased its potential to reduce global reliance on fossil fuels for energy and transport.

Mayor Zhu Wei of Foshan City said “Foshan will strive to create adequate investment environment, provide quality services, deepen cooperation and exchanges, in order to jointly promote the development of the hydrogen industry in Foshan, and to contribute to the global green and low carbon development."

Valerie Cliff, UNDP Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, addressed the opening ceremony.

“Innovation can significantly reduce the carbon intensity of emerging economies, most notably in the mobility and energy sectors,” she said.

UNDP has been committed to advocating a low-carbon economy in China and exploring a hydrogen-based clean energy solution for the domestic hydrogen and fuel cell industry, Ms Cliff said.

Through the development of hydrogen energy economy and fuel cell commercialization, UNDP has sought to build a broad international platform for China's industrialization of hydrogen energy and fuel cell, promoted the development of China's green and low-carbon economy, and contributed to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNDP has committed to promoting the industrialization of hydrogen economy, especially hydrogen sourced from renewable sources, and the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles to enable the decarbonization needed.

Hydrogen as a clean energy source, is at the core of such technological and policy innovation.

The realisation of SDG 7, Clean and Affordable Energy for All, and SDG 13, Climate Action, is critical to a sustainable future for humanity and will only happen with swift and concrete actions to combat climate change by the international community.

There was a Keynote Forum and 9 Parallel Forums held during the two-and-a-half-day conference, in parallel to the 3rd International Hydrogen Energy & Fuel Cell Technology & Product Expo Foshan China also held in Foshan, attracting over 220 FCH related companies from home and abroad.

Beate Trankmann, UNDP Resident Representative in China, pointed out that in the case of China, policies must follow for hydrogen to be produced from low carbon or non-fossil fuel sources.

The first of its kind in the world, the UNDP Hydrogen Economy Vocational Training Institute was also officially established during the Conference.

With technical support from UNDP and jointly operated by the People's Government of Nanhai District, Foshan City, the Institute connects the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to world-class resources and expertise.

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Contact Information: communication.cn@undp.org