The International Finance Forum (IFF), in partnership with the Task Force on Carbon Pricing in Europe and the American Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, have co-hosted a high-level conference under the theme of “Overcoming New Hurdles in Firms’ Fight Against Global Warming.” The event brought together leading voices from international organizations, government and industry to discuss emerging challenges and solutions in the global climate agenda.
Against the backdrop of mounting geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, the conference emphasized the need for renewed commitment and bold policy actions to preserve momentum in combating climate change. While the climate agenda has experienced setbacks in recent years, participants agreed that businesses are continuing to press forward, translating climate ambition into action, investment and innovation.
Edmond Alphandéry, Chairman of the Task Force on Carbon Pricing in Europe, warned of growing inertia in climate policymaking, commenting: “We need to get the climate control race back on track. Political and financial forces are slowing us down, and this is deeply concerning. The temperature trends globally are alarming, and the consequences of inaction are irreversible.”
Zhu Xian, IFF Executive VP and former VP of the World Bank, echoed those concerns: “After several years of steady progress in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a series of obstacles now threatens to halt, and even reverse, our gains. Yet, across the world, companies remain committed to their duty to protect our planet for future generations.”
Durwood Zaelke, Founder and President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, stressed the importance of both science and communication in addressing the climate emergency, adding: “The climate crisis is defined by three factors: temperature, time and tipping points. We are already at 1.5°C of warming, and the path we are on could exceed 2°C within a decade. Irreversible tipping points like the collapse of Atlantic ocean currents demand immediate, coordinated solutions.”
The high-level conference explored how firms are scaling up renewable energy projects amid infrastructure and policy challenges.
Marta Martinez Sanchez, Head of Analysis and Special Projects at Iberdrola, highlighted that renewables are gaining ground, but deployment is constrained: “To accelerate clean energy at scale, we need stronger policy support for infrastructure rollout and demand stimulation. Supply alone isn’t enough. We need demand-side incentives and industrial value chains to support solar, wind and battery manufacturing.”
Dr. Xie Tian, GM of LONGi’s Strategic Management Centre, pointed out that LONGi provides global climate mitigation solutions through technological innovation and intelligent green manufacturing. In terms of technological innovation, verified by Germany’s Hamelin Institute for Solar Energy (ISFH), the company’s independently developed Hybrid Interdigitated-Back-Contact (HIBC) crystalline silicon solar cell has achieved a conversion efficiency of 27.81% through calibration experiments, setting a new world record. In addition, the conversion efficiency of a two-terminal crystalline silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell developed by the company has been certified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the United States to have reached 34.85%, once again breaking the world record.
Dr. Xie also informed attendees that LONGi’s Jiaxing base has achieved dual benchmark certification as both a “Lighthouse” and “Zero-Carbon” factory. This accomplishment has resulted in a 28% reduction in manufacturing costs, 84% shorter production lead times and 24.6% lower energy consumption per unit. Dr. Xie emphasized that, as the PV industry’s first dual-certified factory, the Jiaxing base underlines the company’s leadership in driving digital and green transformation across the sector. By integrating smart technologies into advanced PV manufacturing, LONGi pursues green production to further achieve carbon neutrality. The company has also implemented a data platform for ESG disclosure management, enabling verification and analysis of sustainability metrics.
Paul Frankel, Head of the Renewable Energy Department at the International Energy Agency (IEA), revealed at the meeting that the global installed capacity of renewable energy will increase by 700 gigawatts in 2024, with China making a significant contribution and ranking first in the world in terms of photovoltaic installed capacity. The IEA predicts that global installed capacity of renewable energy will increase by over 5500 gigawatts between 2024 and 2030, with solar photovoltaics becoming the main force due to cost reduction and accelerated approval.
Throughout the conference, a common theme emerged: progress is still possible, but only with shared responsibility across public and private sectors. The conference concluded with a unified call to scale up ambition, reduce policy fragmentation and strengthen cross-border cooperation.
