Midsummer blankets Jinling in lush greenery. June 5 marks World Environment Day, on which the 2026 themed event "Low-Carbon Jiangsu Tour" was grandly held on the Xianlin Campus of Nanjing Normal University. Guided by the Jiangsu Provincial Association for Science and Technology, the event was co-hosted by the Jiangsu Society of Low-Carbon Technology, Nanjing Normal University and Nanjing University of Science and Technology, and organized by the School of Chemistry and Materials Science of Nanjing Normal University and other institutions. More than a hundred representatives from universities, research institutes and enterprises including Nanjing University, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing Forestry University and Jiangsu University of Science and Technology gathered to explore cutting-edge low-carbon technologies and jointly chart paths for green transformation and development. Professor Li Yafei, Member of the Standing Committee of the University Party Committee and Vice President of Nanjing Normal University, was invited to attend and deliver an address. Professor Sun Dongping, Chairman of the Jiangsu Society of Low-Carbon Technology, presided over the event.

In his speech, Professor Li Yafei, Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Vice President of Nanjing Normal University, pointed out that in recent years, Nanjing Normal University has vigorously implemented the strategy of "pursuing top-tier fundamental research while serving local industrial development", striving to produce original research achievements and reach new academic heights. The university hosts two State Key Laboratories, namely the State Key Laboratory of Microbial Transformation Technology and the State Key Laboratory for Climate System Prediction and Response to Climate Change. It also boasts a number of engineering research centers jointly established by the Ministry of Education, central and local governments, as well as provincial-level key research platforms including Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Power Batteries and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Micro-Nano Sensing and Separation Analysis. A string of groundbreaking breakthroughs have been achieved in new energy materials, biomass conversion, pollutant control and resource recycling. Vice President Li stated that Nanjing Normal University has integrated the philosophy of green development into the entire process of talent cultivation and scientific research. The university stands ready to cooperate with all sectors of society to contribute wisdom and strength to the low-carbon transformation of Jiangsu Province and the whole country.

The award ceremony for the 2026 Science and Technology Awards of the Jiangsu Society of Low-Carbon Technology was held during the event. Xu Xuran, Secretary-General of the Society, read out the commendation documents for the Technology Progress Award, Science and Technology Innovation Award, and Youth Science and Technology Award. Distinguished guests including Li Yafei, Vice President of Nanjing Normal University, Xue Feng, Party Secretary of the School of Chemistry and Materials Science, and Wang Chen, Vice Dean of the School, presented honorary certificates to the award recipients. Warm applause echoed throughout the venue as a heartfelt tribute to all the winning researchers.

The subsequent expert academic lecture session was rich and brilliant. Tang Hao, Executive Editor of New Energy Science & Technology at Jiangsu Institute of Scientific and Technical Information, gave an introduction covering the journal’s expert team development, topic planning, high-quality manuscript solicitation, as well as its zero-carbon popular science book series. Professor Huang Hongwen from Nanjing University delivered a report titled Chemical Effects of Interfacial Microenvironment in Electroreductive CO₂ Conversion, which thoroughly analyzed the core scientific challenges in the electrocatalytic transformation of carbon dioxide. Senior Engineer Shen Xiaochen from China Tobacco Jiangsu Industrial Co., Ltd. shared Low-Carbon Technologies and Industrial Applications of Multi-Scale Deconstruction and Functional Modification of Plant Fibers, presenting practical approaches for high-value utilization of biomass resources. Professor Wang Chen from Nanjing Normal University systematically elaborated on Novel High-Efficiency CO₂ Capture and Separation Technologies Under Carbon Neutrality. Professor Sun Hanjun from Nanjing Normal University presented a cutting-edge report on Photoelectrocatalysis of Conjugated Polymers. Zhou Dayong, Technical Director of Guangzhi Technology Co., Ltd., delivered a speech entitled Digital Technology Empowering New Infrastructure, discussing the innovative application of digital technologies in the construction of low-carbon infrastructure. The expert presentations featured solid content and forward-looking perspectives, covering both in-depth breakthroughs in fundamental research and tangible achievements in industrial translation. They sparked heated discussions and active exchanges among all participants.

During the tea break, participants engaged in in-depth exchanges at the "Moore Station" of the School of Chemistry and Materials Science outside the venue, where a strong academic atmosphere prevailed and constant collisions of ideas took place.
Concurrent with the main event, a student environmental photography exhibition was showcased. Students captured the beauty of ecology through their lenses and conveyed low-carbon concepts via light and shadow, fully demonstrating the sincere aspiration and sense of responsibility of the younger generation to safeguard a beautiful China.

Since its establishment, the Jiangsu Society of Low-Carbon Technology has long dedicated itself to the field of green and low-carbon development. Its flagship serial event "Low-Carbon Jiangsu Tour" has evolved into a widely influential branded academic exchange platform across Jiangsu Province. Centered on the theme "Comprehensive Green Transformation for a Beautiful China", this year’s event conducted in-depth discussions on five key research directions: resource utilization of carbon dioxide, novel low-carbon materials, industrial-scale applications, photoelectrocatalysis, and digital low-carbon new infrastructure, showcasing the latest innovations in green and low-carbon science and technology in Jiangsu.
The successful convening of this World Environment Day-themed "Low-Carbon Jiangsu Tour" event not only comprehensively demonstrated Jiangsu’s robust research capabilities and industrial achievements in low-carbon technologies, but also further united forces from industry, academia, research institutions and end-users, injecting fresh impetus into the high-quality development of green and low-carbon industries.