On September 25, 2025, the "Envisioning the Future - Collaborative Global Climate Action" themed forum was held in New York. The event was jointly supported by Alashan SEE Ecological Association, Beijing Entrepreneurs Environmental Foundation (SEE Foundation), World Economic Forum GAEA Project, G20 Foundation Platform F20, and Columbia University Climate School's Sustainable Development Policy and Management Research Program, bringing together representatives from government, business, academia, and philanthropic sectors.
In her opening remarks, Zhao Song, member of Alashan SEE Ecological Association and organizing committee member, welcomed and thanked all partners on behalf of the organizers. She emphasized that the event aims to transform challenges into opportunities and convert concepts into executable solutions. She stressed that the greatest risk today is not imperfection but inaction, requiring calm, steady, and shared determination to advance cooperation. She posed a common challenge to attendees: how to ensure continuity, credibility, and predictability amid constant change, and to build "platforms" into sustainable "mechanisms" through standards, financing tools, and long-term partnerships.
Counselor Hou Lihong from the Chinese Consulate General in New York stated in his address that addressing climate change is humanity's shared responsibility, which China views as both an inherent requirement for its sustainable development and its commitment to the world. Through the "International Science and Technology Cooperation Initiative" and renewal of the "China-US Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement," China actively promotes international collaboration in climate governance and public health. He emphasized that the forum should serve as a new starting point for deepening environmental science and humanistic exchanges to jointly protect the Earth and enhance human welfare.
In her keynote speech, Princess Noura bint Faisal Al Saud, co-founder of AEON Collective, pointed out that addressing climate change is not merely about carbon reduction or nature protection, but should help millions escape poverty and ensure infrastructure and national security in the process. Therefore, sustainability must be understood as a "comprehensive strategy for stability and long-term development." She emphasized that under the guidance of "Vision 2030," Saudi Arabia is investing in nature-based solutions, circular industries, and clean energy to build economic, environmental, and geopolitical resilience. She called for establishing long-term alliances that meet different regional development needs and stressed that commitments must be accompanied by implementation and accountability.
In the "Global Climate Alliance" themed dialogue, Zhu Xiaoyu, director of Alashan SEE Ecological Association, moderated the discussion. Multiple guests emphasized the importance of cross-sector cooperation, calling for transforming climate action from slogans into blueprints. Princess Mashal Al Sharhan, co-founder of AEON Collective, noted that addressing climate change must acknowledge complexity, as water scarcity and high climate pressure in the Middle East make it a "present reality" rather than a future problem. She proposed a "circular carbon economy" pathway and called for using more accessible language to drive social consensus. Shaun Seow, CEO of Philanthropy for Asia Alliance (PAA), shared how the alliance uses philanthropic funds for "de-risking," promoting Southeast Asian countries to include "blue carbon" in their NDCs and funding "low-carbon rice" to reduce methane emissions. He emphasized that philanthropy should serve as a bridge to leverage public and private capital. Florence Lee, Vice President of Songtsam Group, showcased sustainable tourism cases in Yunnan and Tibet that not only protect ecosystems but also boost community income.
In dialogue with F20 Secretary-General Katrin Harvey, Nicola Speranza, Chief of Staff to the COP30 Presidency, shared the preparation process for COP30. He emphasized that there are no "impossible partners" in climate cooperation, with momentum coming from results and resonance. He advised young people to maintain idealism while persisting with patience, finding paths that align with their country's realities rather than copying others' experiences.
In the "Harnessing Philanthropic Power to Build Climate Action Alliances" discussion, guests explored how philanthropy can drive scale through blended finance. Ahmed Saeed, Asia-Pacific Director of UN Global Pulse, noted that philanthropy in Asia-Pacific can provide strategic investment, de-risking mechanisms, and government endorsement for innovative solutions, thereby enhancing scalability and sustainability. Professor Christoph Meinrenken from Columbia University Climate School emphasized measuring sustainability with multi-dimensional indicators, where technology, ecosystems, and sustained momentum are all indispensable. He reviewed collaboration cases with PepsiCo and State Grid, demonstrating how rigorous measurement systems drive implementation. Tracy Wang, Global Brand Director at Jackery, introduced how the company achieves emissions reduction through clean energy products and collaborates with WWF and American Forests to promote wildlife conservation, tree planting, and ocean governance. Dr. Lu Zhiyao, Director of Climate Change and Business Sustainability at SEE Foundation, pointed out that with support from the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the foundation launched the "China Climate Public Charity Partnership Program," mobilizing potential philanthropic groups through storytelling and dialogue mechanisms to direct more resources toward China's local climate action.
In the "Empowering Next-Generation Climate Solution Innovators" panel discussion, SEE youth members shared innovative practices. Zeng Yue, Director of Alashan SEE Ecological Association and CEO of Orange Education, proposed experiential education to let young people face climate impacts directly, believing that face-to-face contact with climate refugees and endangered animal protection stories can more deeply awaken responsibility. Xu Jiaxing from Baopu Regeneration emphasized that art is a cultural bond for sustainable development, believing art can give sustainable development emotional value. Zhao Song noted that Alashan's generational inheritance keeps the platform constantly renewed, with the younger generation becoming an important force driving climate action. Meanwhile, the forum host, scholar Ye Zihui from Princeton, expressed that youth power is becoming a link for innovative climate solutions, emphasizing that establishing internationally connected platforms will bring more opportunities for young people to inspire innovative output.
At the forum's conclusion, Dominic Waughray, Executive Vice President of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), stated that the Paris Agreement goals cannot be achieved without China's firm commitment and entrepreneurial spirit. He pledged to continue strengthening cooperation with SEE, bringing Chinese entrepreneurs' innovative achievements to global markets and jointly accelerating global climate governance. Rob Van Riet, Senior Advisor at the World Economic Forum's Nature and Climate Centre, stated that SEE's achievements are evident, with impressive data. He noted that in this Climate Week where "everyone is talking about action," SEE proves itself as an action practitioner and implementer through deliverable projects and quantified results.
Dr. Mbongiseni Buthelezi, CEO of the Mandela Foundation, officially announced the results of the "Mirror the World" global photography competition. The competition featured five distinguished judges from sustainable development and visual arts fields: nature conservation photographer Kyle Obermann, F20 Secretary-General Katrin Harvey, Mandela Foundation CEO Dr. Mbongiseni Buthelezi, New York Academy of Sciences Vice President of Marketing Chenelle Bonavito Martinez, and Zhao Song. Ultimately, the "Best Impact Award" went to a work focusing on the ecological beauty and human coexistence relationships in China's Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve. In his address, Dr. Buthelezi emphasized that this competition uses images as a bridge to generate global resonance about environmental responsibility and cultural heritage, demonstrating unique public value and contemporary significance.
In his closing remarks, Liu Mingda, President of Alashan SEE Ecological Association, reviewed the Climate Week journey, noting that this marks the fourth time Alashan SEE has been invited to New York Climate Week, with continuously expanding international cooperation. This trip connected with the World Economic Forum, UN Global Compact, Bloomberg, NYSE, and multiple universities, forming industry-academia-research synergy. Looking forward, he advocated using entrepreneurs as hubs and youth as incremental forces to transform dialogue into implementable projects and measurable outcomes, accelerating green transformation implementation.
This forum has been held for three consecutive years during New York Climate Week, forming a long-term collaborative platform across institutions and regions. Using "continuity, credibility, and predictability" as methodological guidelines, it steadily transforms "platforms" into replicable execution mechanisms. Connecting industry-academia-government-philanthropy, it integrates scientific measurement, capital tools, and policy support to build accelerators. Generational co-creation and youth momentum upgrade it from a "marketplace of ideas" to "investable, implementable project clusters."