366At the end of July, Carbonstop moved to a new location! We achieved a carbon reduction of 45.89 tons! In the new office, we welcomed leaders from the government, partners from various industries, and several new colleagues.
The new office also received many distinguished guests.
Today, let me introduce a recent guest who visited Carbonstop: John Thornton, former President of Goldman Sachs and Honorary Chairman of the Brookings Institution.
A 2-Hour Conversation
Carbonstop's Founder and CEO Lu Hui Yan had a deep discussion with Mr. Thornton for two hours, exploring China's carbon market, Carbonstop's services and innovations, as well as future development.
The Potential of China's Carbon Service Market
Mr. Thornton was particularly interested in product carbon footprint calculations, especially the innovative models that Carbonstop has recently developed.
Over the years, Carbonstop has been striving towards the goal of "making every product have a carbon footprint," achieving significant progress. After more than a decade of accumulation, it has formed a database containing over 100,000 carbon emission factors. Mr. Thornton expressed admiration for Carbonstop's achievements and indicated that the carbon service market is enormous with vast potential for future development.
When Mr. Thornton learned that in China, carbon trading could be combined with various consumption scenarios, his exact words were, "How Amazing—too amazing!" China's carbon service market has seen many innovative developments, and Carbonstop is one of the most proactive players in innovative services.
The Importance of Addressing Climate Change Globally
Mr. Thornton has a profound understanding of China. In a recent interview with American media, he also mentioned the significance of China's "carbon neutrality" goals, pointing out the potential for China to gain technological benefits and economic vitality by solving environmental problems.
He has expressed the importance of addressing climate change for China and the world on multiple occasions. A few days before visiting Carbonstop, Mr. Thornton had an in-depth exchange with Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu, focusing on Sino-US cooperation in addressing climate change. At the Global Wealth Management Forum a few weeks earlier, during a dialogue with Professor Bai Chongen, Dean of Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management, Mr. Thornton pointed out: "Both US and Chinese leaders have clearly stated that they will cooperate on climate change issues. This issue is too important for the world, and it's not just about the US and China."
A Gift Made from 14 Bottles
Before leaving, Carbonstop presented Mr. Thornton with an eco-friendly bag made from 14 plastic bottles. Mr. Thornton found it very meaningful and creative and requested another one to give to his wife as a gift.
Epilogue
Shortly after Mr. Thornton's visit, China and the United States held climate talks in Tianjin. The Chinese side stated that it has established a working group for peak carbon and carbon neutrality and is formulating and will gradually release the "1+N" policy system to achieve the goals of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060. The US side introduced policies under the Biden administration to achieve a 50-52% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, zero-carbon electricity by 2035, and net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Sino-US dialogue and cooperation on climate change are of great significance to the global multilateral process on climate change. As a player in the field of climate change, we urgently hope that the two countries will strengthen cooperation in the areas of climate change and carbon neutrality, promoting the comprehensive, effective, and sustained implementation of the Paris Agreement.
About John Thornton
John Thornton served as President of Goldman Sachs and is currently the Honorary Chairman of the Brookings Institution, one of the most influential think tanks in the United States. Mr. Thornton also serves as the Director of the Global Leadership Program and Professor at Tsinghua University's School of Economics and Management.
Mr. Thornton retired from Goldman Sachs in 2003. In 2008, he was awarded the Friendship Award by the Chinese Government, the highest honor given to foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions. Mr. Thornton was also selected by the Chinese Government as one of the fifteen overseas experts who have made the most significant contributions to China's development over the past thirty years of reform and opening up.
