Belt and Road Green Innovation Conference 2026 Calls for Greater Climate Support for Global South

Participants at the Belt and Road Green Innovation Conference 2026 in Hong Kong on Monday called for urgent action to address climate change in the Global South, urging the international community to provide greater financial, technological and institutional support to developing countries.

The conference brought together more than 300 government officials, academics and industry leaders from 17 Belt and Road partner countries and around 40 provinces and cities on the Chinese mainland. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in green finance, clean technologies and sustainable development.

Co-organised by China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government and the International Green Development Coalition for the Belt and Road Regions, the event sought to advance practical cooperation on climate resilience and green transformation.

Report Highlights Climate Adaptation Challenges in Global South

A key highlight was the release of Green Development Outlook of the Global South 2026: Joining Hands for a Climate-resilient Future.

The report described climate adaptation as an urgent necessity for countries in the Global South, with direct implications for their survival, economic development and public welfare.

It outlined several priorities, including strengthening water and food security, improving agricultural resilience, expanding climate monitoring and early warning systems, protecting ecosystems and safeguarding public health.

The report also identified major barriers to climate adaptation, including limited financing, inadequate technological capabilities, insufficient capacity building and governance challenges. It called on developed countries to increase support and fulfil their relevant obligations.

China Signs Climate Cooperation Agreements With Three Countries

The conference witnessed the signing of three memoranda of understanding between China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment and partner countries.

The agreements covered environmental and climate cooperation with Mongolia, material assistance to Cambodia for climate-related projects, and cooperation with Kenya on climate change.

Organisers described the event’s first-ever edition outside the Chinese mainland, hosted in Hong Kong, as a significant step towards expanding the scope and depth of green development cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

China Pledges Continued Support for Green Development

China’s Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu described Hong Kong as a “bridgehead for the country’s opening-up” and pledged continued central government support for the SAR and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

He said the two regions could draw on their respective strengths to promote the green transition across the Global South.

Huang reaffirmed China’s commitment to green cooperation under the BRI, noting that the country had signed more than 80 cooperation documents with relevant authorities in over 50 countries and regions. China had also organised more than 300 training courses, recording over 10,000 instances of participation by environmental officials from developing countries.

He called for countries and regions to better align their green development strategies, deepen practical cooperation, harness technological innovation and expand an open, inclusive system for green investment and financing.

Hong Kong Highlights Role in Green Finance and Technology

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the SAR was a trusted partner in building a greener, more prosperous and sustainable future.

Lee highlighted Hong Kong’s role in connecting international green projects with financing, helping green technologies reach markets, promoting cross-border trust through recognised technical standards and training professionals for the green economy.

He also pointed to Hong Kong’s position as an Asian hub for international green and sustainable bond issuance, saying it accounted for approximately 40 per cent of the regional market in 2025.

The SAR’s financial infrastructure and international connections, he said, could help channel investment towards sustainable development projects and strengthen cooperation between countries.

Uzbekistan and Kenya Call for Deeper Green Cooperation With China

Aziz Abdukhakimov, adviser to Uzbekistan’s president on environmental issues and chairman of the country’s National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, proposed establishing a platform to help Uzbek industries adopt greener practices by drawing on China’s experience.

He also called for a joint advisory council, a dedicated working group on green investment and a unified online portal through which Chinese investors could identify environmental projects in Uzbekistan and connect them with capital and technology.

Ali Mohamed, special envoy for climate change in the Executive Office of the President of Kenya, called for deeper China-Africa cooperation in green finance, the development of a green and low-carbon trade network, and common standards for digital solutions, including green data centres.

Their proposals reflected growing interest in translating climate commitments into practical partnerships involving investment, technology transfer and industrial transformation.

Green Finance and Digital Innovation in Focus

Beyond the main sessions, the conference featured discussions on aligning green finance rules, encouraging technological innovation, strengthening industrial cooperation and using digital tools to accelerate sustainable development.

The discussions underscored the importance of international partnerships in helping developing economies access the funding, technology and expertise required to respond to climate risks.

As climate pressures intensify across vulnerable regions, participants emphasised the need to move beyond broad commitments towards practical cooperation that can strengthen resilience, protect livelihoods and support a low-carbon development pathway for the Global South.