By Zhao Dandan and Zhang Rui | wuhudaily.cn

The 2026 Consultative Group of Experts (CGE) Regional Workshop for Asia-Pacific and Eastern Europe under the South-South Cooperation on Climate Change was held in Wuhu from July 20 to 24. Xia Yingxian, director-general of the Department of Climate Change at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment; Wang Xuehong, director of the UNFCCC Transparency Division; Cao Shaobing, director of the Anhui provincial ecology and environment department; and Cao Xiaoming, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Wuhu municipal committee and vice-mayor, attended the opening ceremony. Delegates from dozens of countries and international organizations gathered in Wuhu to discuss transparency implementation in global climate governance.

The CGE is a permanent expert body under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It provides technical support to developing countries to meet their obligations through the development of toolkits and capacity-building training. The workshop, held in China for the first time, is the first project implemented under the Letter of Intent signed between the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the UNFCCC Secretariat during COP30. It also marks the first time China has co-hosted a transparency workshop with the UNFCCC Secretariat under the South-South cooperation framework on climate change.

The four-day workshop focused on strengthening the implementation of the transparency framework, covering the modalities, procedures and guidelines (MPGs), the biennial transparency report (BTR) process, data management frameworks and institutional arrangements. Participants shared case studies and governance solutions to enhance the effectiveness of multilateral climate and energy mechanisms.

During the event, delegates visited leading industrial sites in Wuhu. At the Chery smart manufacturing plant, they learned about the company's zero-carbon technology research and were impressed by the automated production lines and full life-cycle carbon footprint management system. At the Wuhu Shipyard Haizhi Research Institute, innovative achievements in green ship design and smart shipbuilding technologies were showcased, demonstrating how a traditional industrial city can transition to a green and low-carbon future.