At the APEC Research Center Joint Conference Youth Scholars Forum, the fourth forum themed "Towards a Green and Sustainable Future: Perspectives and Initiatives from Youth" held in-depth discussions on topics such as energy transition, climate technology, green finance, regional cooperation, and youth participation. This forum was hosted by Zhang Wen, Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor of the School of Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), with several young scholars from Chile, Russia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, the Philippines, and China sharing their observations, proposals, and initiatives for a sustainable future based on their research and practical experiences.

Diverse Topics Gather for a Green Future

The attendees came from diverse academic backgrounds including chemical engineering, economics, energy research, public policy, sociology, and international affairs, reflecting that green transformation is itself an interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral, and cross-regional systemic project.

As the host, Zhang Wen, Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), remarked at the beginning, this forum is not only the last session of the day's agenda but also the most anticipated one, as "the future" is both an academic topic and a reality closely related to everyone's life. She hoped that the onsite communication would be intellectually enriching while maintaining an open and relaxed discussion atmosphere.

Energy Transition from the Perspective of Catalytic Science

The first speaker, Dr. Tatiana María Bustamante Betancur, an Assistant Professor at the University of Concepción in Chile, has long been engaged in research on multiphase catalysis and nanomaterials, focusing on sustainable energy applications such as hydrogen storage and carbon dioxide resource utilization.

In her speech, she pointed out that when discussing energy transition, people often first think of electrification; however, not all energy issues can be solved solely by "electrons." In the face of long-cycle energy storage, long-distance transportation, and industrial scenarios that are difficult to electrify directly, energy transition also needs "molecular solutions." In her view, catalysis serves as an important bridge connecting fundamental chemistry with sustainable practices.

Combining her team's research, she introduced two typical applications: one is the liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) system, which achieves hydrogen storage and release through catalytic reactions, thereby enhancing the feasibility of hydrogen energy storage and transportation; the other is converting carbon dioxide into high-value-added chemicals such as methanol and olefins, transforming carbon management from "passive emission reduction" to "resource reuse." She believes that the important value of young researchers lies not only in producing papers and data but also in building bridges between fundamental research, industrial applications, and international cooperation.

Promoting Regional Cooperation through Sustainable Development Goals

Professor Liudmila Zakharova from Moscow State Institute of International Relations focuses her research on the North Korean economy, Russia-North Korea-South Korea relations, and Northeast Asian international cooperation.

She analyzed "Sustainable Development Goals as a Platform for Northeast Asian Cooperation." She pointed out that the 17 Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda provide a fundamental framework for the global response to common challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental degradation, with the principle of "no one left behind" being an important tenet.

In her view, although Northeast Asia has a strong developmental foundation, it has long lacked an inclusive multilateral cooperation platform, with political friction, sanctions, and isolation effects raising the costs of regional cooperation. For this reason, building a relatively neutral dialogue mechanism based on the Sustainable Development Goals could be an important path to promote regional cooperation. She also introduced research projects and youth exchange practices around sustainable development cooperation in Northeast Asia in recent years, asserting that young students and scholars have a unique role in promoting second-track communication and expanding regional mutual trust.

Systemic Thinking Reshaping Urban Decarbonization Pathways

Dr. Mingyue Selena Sheng, a Senior Researcher at the Energy Center of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, works at the intersection of energy economics, transport systems, and environmental sustainability, focusing on decarbonization pathways, policy design, electric vehicle adoption, and urban carbon emissions.

In her speech, she emphasized that urban emissions reduction should not be viewed from a single technological perspective, but should shift to a "comprehensive system" thinking approach. Using Auckland's commuting scenario as an example, she pointed out that whether individuals choose low-carbon travel is not only a matter of personal preference but is also deeply influenced by infrastructure, pricing policies, and institutional design.

Based on New Zealand data, she summarized several research observations: there is a significant difference in electric vehicle adoption rates across different regions, the supply of charging facilities significantly impacts consumer behavior, and income levels and social factors also shape the adoption of low-carbon technologies. She further compared traditional plug-in charging, wireless charging, and dynamic wireless charging technologies and concluded that the truly critical issue is not "which technology is the best on its own," but how to integrate different technologies into a low-carbon transportation system that serves people. At the same time, green hydrogen will also play an important role in decarbonizing heavy transport and industry. She specifically noted that young researchers tend to be more adept at using big data, digital tools, and interdisciplinary methods, making them capable of being key drivers of systemic innovation.

Youth Action Rooted in Local Communities

Dr. Samuel Kesi Awayang, a researcher at the National Research Institute of Papua New Guinea, has long focused on climate change, environmental protection, and traditional land issues.

He introduced the topic "Youth Initiatives in Papua New Guinea," highlighting the reality of local youth participation in sustainable development. Based on his research and observations, the youth population in Papua New Guinea is large, representing a critical force for future climate action and community innovation, yet they still face clear constraints in terms of educational continuity, resource investment, and project financing.

He shared two case studies: one is a youth-led marine conservation organization that enhances grassroots environmental action capabilities by mobilizing young volunteers of different ages to participate in coral restoration, climate adaptation training, and community advocacy; the other is a mangrove restoration, seagrass monitoring, and scientific internship program aimed at secondary school and university students that integrates ecological protection, scientific education, and community participation. He called for more funding, education, and capacity-building support for youth-led sustainable projects so that young people can become not just "passive participants," but active shapers of the future.

Stronger Policy Support Needed for Climate Tech Entrepreneurship

Dr. Eunmi Kim, a Senior Researcher at the Korea Institute for International Economic Policy, primarily studies low-carbon industries, climate change-related technologies, and the ecosystem of small and medium enterprises and startups.

At the forum, she focused on "The Role of Climate Tech Startups in the Green Innovation Ecosystem." She pointed out that although various economies have generally proposed carbon neutrality or net-zero targets, these commitments are difficult to realize without supporting climate tech innovation. Compared to mature companies, startups tend to possess greater technological agility and breakthrough potential, making them important players in driving deep technology green innovation.

However, she also warned that there exists a structural imbalance in reality: global climate tech investment is growing, but capital often concentrates more on lower-risk, more commercialized areas, such as electric vehicles, while investment in high-risk, high-impact fields remains insufficient. Using South Korea as a case study, she noted that many climate tech startups are still in early stages and struggle to cross the "valley of death." Through the identification of national R&D records and policy effect analyses, she discovered that R&D support positively influences financial performance, but the impetus on innovation output and social effects such as employment is still not significant enough. This suggests that relevant policies need to be more stable, strategic, and should promote the synchronous advancement of green transformation and digital transformation.

A Sustainable Future Requires Peace and Inclusion

Researcher Rholaisa Balabagan Mamailao from the Mindanao State University in the Philippines is interested in peace and conflict, gender, human rights, sustainable development, and public policy.

Based on real experiences from southern Philippines, she made an important judgment: Sustainable development does not have a one-size-fits-all template; in conflict-affected areas, peace itself is a prerequisite for a green and sustainable future.

She used the local project "ArmstoFarms" in the Philippines as an example, explaining how areas historically impacted by war are exploring sustainable paths that balance environmental, social, and economic dimensions through agricultural development, identity transformation, and social reconstruction. In her view, a green future means not only protecting natural resources but also restoring relationships between people and communities. The youth should not just be integrated into project execution but should also be viewed as leaders and decision-makers in peacebuilding, environmental governance, and community recovery.

Blockchain Expands New Spaces for Green Finance

Professor Bao Hong, Assistant Dean (Policy Research) at the Qianhai Institute of International Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), focuses his research on digital currency, financial risks, and technology strategies.

At the forum, he discussed the possibilities of "From Green Bonds to Green Tokens: Optimizing Climate Finance through Blockchain." Bao Hong pointed out that while the total global climate financing continues to grow, there remains a significant gap compared to actual financing needs; simultaneously, the traditional climate finance system, which is mainly debt-instrument based, faces numerous pain points in terms of transparency, liquidity, issuance thresholds, and cross-border coordination.

In his view, blockchain technology can enhance the transparency of green fund flows, settlement efficiency, and cross-border collaboration through asset tokenization, smart contracts, and on-chain verification mechanisms. He also introduced Hong Kong's explorations in this field, including government tokenization of green bond issuance practices and innovations like Project Ensemble promoted by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority. Addressing young scholars, he suggested strengthening cross-disciplinary research networks in climate finance and promoting cross-border tokenization cooperation for green assets under the APEC framework.

Youth are not Spectators, but Shapers

Throughout the forum, the young scholars from different countries and academic backgrounds, though varying in areas of focus, all pointed towards one core fact: a green and sustainable future will not come about automatically, but requires the joint efforts of technological innovation, institutional design, regional cooperation, and social participation.

Whether it is catalytic technology supporting energy transition, sustainable development goals building platforms for regional cooperation, systemic thinking reshaping low-carbon urban infrastructure, youth-led community environmental projects, climate tech entrepreneurship, peace-oriented development pathways, or blockchain empowering green finance, these discussions indicate that youth are not just beneficiaries of the future, but important shapers of today's sustainable transformation.

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