The global energy transition is both an urgent necessity and a transformative opportunity for industries worldwide, as humanity grapples with ecological system collapse, said Gim Huay Neo, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum, in Beijing on Tuesday.
She made the remarks during an exclusive interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) at the International Forum on Power System Transformation 2025, emphasizing the crucial role of industry transformation in reducing waste.
"We have to think of the energy transition as an opportunity for industry transformation. It is about cutting waste.In fact, it is about making better use of nature with solar, with wind. It's about driving more efficiencies, cutting costs. There is demand for new skills, new capabilities, and that in itself presents a significant opportunity for all economies to think about the energy transition as an opportunity to transform industry, create jobs and stimulate new engines of growth. So, for us to marry green energy transition with profitability, sustainability, I think that is a no-brainer. It is a very natural conclusion that we can make," said the WEF official.
Asked to comment on the impact of tariffs on the global clean energy supply chains, she said protectionism will undermine business confidence and slow down the green transition of the world economy.
"Businesses thrive on certainty, predictability, and in times of volatility, it is very difficult for them to invest in the longer run. So, I think the tariff war is in a way actually making it very difficult for businesses to make decisions, especially long-term decisions, so, many businesses are actually in a bit of a wait-and-see attitude. And we know that international trade, global supply chains have actually been very beneficiary for global economies, because it allows for cost-efficiencies to be reaped. It allows for each economy to bring their unique capabilities. So, when you actually create barriers or walls between economies, it actually creates more costs [for] businesses. We need to continue to foster dialog, promote understanding. The green transition, the journey has only just started. And the reality is that energy transition is a choice, but the collapse of our ecological systems is really happening," she continued.
The WEF official spoke highly of China's impressive leap forward in transforming its economy with renewable energy, which she said inspires hope for humanity's future.
"China has actually moved ahead of its goals and targets, which is very positive news for all of us. Because China has invested into the development [of] and deployed large-scale renewable energy, right now it is a technology leader, whether this is in renewables, whether this is in battery storage. And it is actually offering possibilities and hope for our future. And we see many companies here today at this energy forum looking for opportunities to partner with China and to learn and exchange good ideas and good solutions," she said.
The International Forum on Power System Transformation 2025 took place in Beijing from Monday to Tuesday, focusing on how new types of power systems help accelerate the global energy transition. It gathered delegates from 30 countries and regions across five continents.
WEF calls for urgent global action on energy transition as ecological systems face collapse
