Baku, Azerbaijan - From November 11th to 22nd, the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change took place in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. LONGi, in conjunction with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), released the "Initiative of Advancing Climate Action and Biodiversity Conservation with Photovoltaic". LONGi’s Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Zhang Haimeng, IUCN Deputy Director General Stewart Maginnis, and Ant Group Director of Sustainable Development Wang Xiaoying attended and witnessed the event.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report highlighting that climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution are the three major global environmental challenges. As a leading global solar energy company, LONGi recognizes that innovation and development of renewable energy technologies such as solar power are not only crucial for reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also vital for the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity. After releasing Climate Action White Papers at COP conference for three consecutive years starting in 2021, LONGi, in collaboration with IUCN at COP29 this year, has taken corporate climate action to a new level by integrating it with biodiversity conservation efforts.
The initiative includes calls for companies to develop and implement climate and biodiversity protection measures in accordance with international multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and global standards, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. It also encourages following global best practices to ensure that all activities meet global climate and biodiversity protection requirements, adopting environmentally friendly methods in the design, construction, and operation of renewable energy projects, improving energy efficiency, and increasing the proportion of clean energy use. The initiative advocates for companies to establish a corporate culture for biodiversity conservation and to promote international cooperation, sharing, and dissemination of global best practices through partnerships.
IUCN Deputy Director General, Stewart Maginnis stated in his speech that LONGi, as a leading company in the photovoltaic industry, is actively responding to the IUCN's guidelines on the biodiversity impact of solar energy projects by releasing this initiative. We believe that the initiative can inspire broader industry and societal actions and will encourage more companies and organizations to participate in the development and application of renewable energy while also taking measures to mitigate their impact on the natural environment.
As biodiversity becomes an increasingly global concern, LONGi has been continuously focusing on how to use photovoltaic technology to promote biodiversity conservation since the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, which began in Kunming, Yunnan in 2021, and has actively put this into practice. During the COP28 conference, LONGi announced its “Zero-Carbon Life Plan for Pandas”, donating a distributed photovoltaic power station to the Qinling Giant Panda Conservation and Breeding Research Base in Foping, adopting a Qinling giant panda for life, and providing photovoltaic products and off-grid technology to support wildlife monitoring equipment in the protected area. Earlier, in 2022, LONGi donated photovoltaic modules to the Acquila Wildlife Conservation Base in South Africa, which not only provided daily electricity for the reserve but also clean water sources for wildlife, giving Acquila more possibilities for sustainable ecological operations.
In Duyun City, Guizhou Province, China, a 500kW "Solar + Tea Complementary Project" was established using LONGi photovoltaic products, exploring the application scenarios of photovoltaic technology in traditional tea gardens; the "Solar +Tea Complementary Project" model was also replicated in Pu'er City, Yunnan Province. In the world-famous Kubuqi Desert in Inner Mongolia, two photovoltaic power stations of 336kW and 338kW were built, with LONGi's products helping arid areas achieve green ecological development with "generating electricity on the panels, planting under the panels, and breeding between the panels."
Zhang Haimeng pointed out that as a leading global nature conservation organization, IUCN possesses extensive professional knowledge, a broad international network, and successful experiences on a global scale. This collaboration between LONGi and IUCN to release the biodiversity conservation initiative further refines and accelerates LONGi's biodiversity practices. Through joint actions with IUCN, LONGi expects to more effectively promote global partners, policymakers, and the public's understanding of the importance of biodiversity conservation, and to learn from excellent biodiversity protection projects such as Ant Group's "Ant Forest," actively taking effective measures to address global ecological challenges together. At the same time, as a leading global provider of green energy solutions, the photovoltaic technology and solutions that LONGi possesses can provide effective support for IUCN's conservation actions.
"All things grow, and life is continuous. We call on humanity to join hands in protecting the Earth's biodiversity and achieving harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. This is not just an initiative, but a call to action, looking forward to everyone contributing to the protection of biodiversity and the maintenance of ecological balance," said Zhang Haimeng.
About LONGi
Founded in 2000, LONGi is committed to being the world’s leading solar technology company, focusing on customer-driven value creation for full scenario energy transformation.
Under its mission of 'making the best of solar energy to build a green world', LONGi has dedicated itself to technology innovation and established five business sectors, covering mono silicon wafers cells and modules, commercial & industrial distributed solar solutions, green energy solutions and hydrogen equipment. The company has honed its capabilities to provide green energy and has more recently, also embraced green hydrogen products and solutions to support global zero carbon development. www.longi.com