On April 12, 2024, the Fudan Institute for Global Public Policy (IGPP) organized the 9th lecture of the Fudan-Arab Lecture Series. Professor Phouphet Kyophilavong, Dean of Faculty of Economics and Business Management, National University of Laos, delivered a lecture titled “Decarbonization in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs): Its Impacts and the Roles of International Cooperation.” The lecture was chaired by Professor Yijia Jing, the Dean of the IGPP, with Assistant Professor Haoqi Qian from the IGPP serving as the commentator. Professor Phouphet is a Fulbright US-ASEAN Visiting Scholar at Harvard University and has collaborated closely with the Lao government, as well as international organizations such as ERIA, the Asian Development Bank, and the World Bank.

Professor Phouphet first introduced the background of international climate change and the importance of promoting net-zero emissions. He argued that for developing countries, the urgent task is to find a new model that balances development and decarbonization. Subsequently, Professor Phouphet used Laos' policies and strategies as an example to discuss in detail how the government is attempting to achieve the balance among economic, social, and environmental development through public policies. In this process, decarbonization actions come with significant costs for people in least developed countries like Laos, and it can even lead to livelihood challenges. This calls for international cooperation, such as mitigating environmental debt, improving carbon market trading mechanisms, and providing green financial assistance to help the least developed countries advance their decarbonization processes. For example, under China's Belt and Road Initiative, projects such as the China-Laos Railway, Lancang-Mekong international regional cooperation, and China-Laos talent exchange have been implemented, making significant contributions to Laos' development.

Dr. Qian provided comments on the lecture. The audience engaged in further discussions, enhancing the understanding of global decarbonization actions among both Chinese and foreign scholars.