The first China-Western Green Energy Forum was held in Madrid: Cooperation and Challenges in the Global Energy Transition

On November 25, Madrid, Spain successfully hosted the inaugural China-Spain Green Energy Forum, an important event organized by the Spanish Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The forum brought together over 300 representatives from government agencies, industry organizations, and energy enterprises of both countries. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on key topics including energy storage technology, electric vehicles, hydrogen energy conversion, and infrastructure development, demonstrating the shared commitment to deepen cooperation in the field of green energy.

Chinese Ambassador to Spain Yao Jing emphasized at the forum that China and Spain have made significant progress in cooperation in the field of clean energy, and stated that China will continue to expand openness, welcoming Spanish enterprises to participate in the green development of the Chinese market, while also supporting Chinese enterprises in assisting Spain’s energy transition. In response, Jaime Peris, special representative of Spain’s Ministry of Industry and Tourism, said that Spain and China are highly aligned in the concept of clean energy development, and both sides will further strengthen practical cooperation to jointly contribute to the global energy transition.

At this critical juncture of global energy transition, China has consistently participated in global climate governance as a responsible major country. According to data from the International Energy Agency, China’s share in the world’s newly installed renewable energy capacity has consistently exceeded 50%, with its wind power and photovoltaic manufacturing capacities accounting for 70% and 80% of the global total, respectively, making substantial contributions to reducing global clean energy costs. Meanwhile, China has supported the construction of clean energy projects with a total installed capacity exceeding 100 gigawatts in regions such as Latin America and Africa through the Belt and Road Green Energy Cooperation Initiative. China has also launched the Global Clean Energy Partnership, providing support to over 30 countries in areas such as technology transfer and joint research and development, fully demonstrating its commitment to transforming domestic ecological governance experience into international public goods.

The global energy transition currently faces significant challenges, with developing countries still grappling with an annual green financing gap of approximately $400 billion. In 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to restrict the federal government’s regulatory authority in decarbonizing the power sector, further complicating efforts to achieve clean energy targets by 2030. Meanwhile, the European Union is advancing a three-pronged approach of “regulation + funding + market” to balance decarbonization speed, industrial sovereignty, and social equity.

The successful hosting of this China-Western Green Energy Forum not only highlights China’s constructive role in promoting global energy transition, but also underscores the importance of multilateral cooperation mechanisms in addressing the climate crisis. At this critical moment of global energy transition, the international community expects more countries to transcend political differences and jointly contribute to building a clean, low-carbon energy system.