Last week, SGAIN organised a workshop "The Shifting Landscape of Global Climate Governance" in Shanghai. The workshop was co-convened by our PI, Professor @yixiansun.bsky.social Yixian Sun, and our China team lead, Professor Bowen Yu at Fudan University.

📊Announcing a new, cutting-edge dataset on China’s global environmental leadership. The first of its kind, China’s Global Environmental Leadership (CGEL) Database systematically collects key information on Chinese actors-led governance initiatives addressing different environmental issues.

CGEL Database — China's Global Environmental Leadership

The most comprehensive database of cross-border environmental governance initiatives led by Chinese state and non-state actors.

cgel.sgain.org

This Thursday, University of Bath Global Chair (2025-27) and SGAIN Advisory Board member Professor Ben Cashore will deliver a public lecture: 'Climate Policy Thermostats: The Planet's Last Hope?'

On 4–6 March 2026, SGAIN researchers had the opportunity to share our work at the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability Conference in Tokyo. The conference, organized by Hiroshima University, brought together over 300 scholars and practitioners from across the globe.

Last week, University of Bath's Global Chair and SGAIN Advisory Board member Benjamin Cashore visited Bath. Professor of Public Management at NUS and Director of the Institute for Environment & Sustainability, Professor Cashore is a globally-recognised scholar.

🔔New Article – Global Environmental Politics amid Geopolitical Turbulence We are excited to share our latest article, co-authored by PI Dr Yixian Sun, is now available to read in Global Environmental Politics: direct.mit.edu/glep/article...

Global Environmental Politics amid Geopolitical Turbulence

Abstract. Over the past decade, three overlapping trends have fundamentally reshaped and now characterize the global geopolitical order: the rise of emerging powers, increasing military conflicts, and...

direct.mit.edu

Happy Year of the Horse! As we enter a new lunar year, the SGAIN team sends our warmest wishes to our partners, collaborators, and followers. May this year of the Horse bring you good health, joy, and success! Wishing everyone 马年吉祥，马到成功

On 3 February, the SGAIN Indonesia team organised a workshop in Jakarta: “Advancing Indonesia-China Partnerships for Clean Energy Transition: Policy, Governance, and Practices”. Over 30 representatives of Indonesian and Chinese governments, businesses, and civil society participated.

📰 We are pleased to share that on the last day of 2025, we published our China & Global Sustainability Transition Outlook 2025 The report is open access and available to read here: researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/publicati...

China and Global Sustainability Transition Outlook 2025: China's emerging leadership in global sustainability governance amid geopolitical turbulence.

researchportal.bath.ac.uk

As 2025 draws to a close, we would like to thank all of our team members, partners, collaborators and followers for their hard work, support and engagement with our project!

🔔New Article – China Aspires to be an Environmental Leader: How Should the Rest of the World Engage? We are excited to share our latest article, co-authored by PI Dr Yixian Sun, is now available to read in #JCCA Journal of Current Chinese Affairs: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com

Don't forget to submit your contributions to the 2026 Bath Conference on Earth System Governance 🌍 Deadline: 15 January 2026 Individual papers, panel proposals and innovative sessions are welcome. For more details and submission guidelines: www.earthsystemgovernance.org/2026-bath/

📽️ Our “China and Global Sustainability Transition” Conference Video Is Now Live! vimeo.com/1134543531 In June, we brought together leading experts for an international conference exploring pathways for constructive engagement with China to accelerate global sustainability transition.

SGAIN's research on China and Global Sustainability Transition

The Sustainability Governance of China's Global Infrastructure Investments (SGAIN) is a £1.7 million UKRI-funded research project led by Dr Yixian…

vimeo.com

🔔 New Policy Report - From Solar Boom to Green Industrialization: Policy Pathways to Localizing Solar Value Chains in Pakistan We are excited to share our first policy report, written in partnership with @sdpipakistan.bsky.social, available to read now: doi.org/10.15125/bat...

From Solar Boom to Green Industrialization: Policy Pathways to Localizing Solar Value Chains in Pakistan

doi.org

We are pleased to announce that SGAIN will be present at this year’s UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.

We are excited to share that in September, Project PI Dr Yixian Sun visited Islamabad to advance dialogue on greening the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

In late July, team member Yuen Gu conducted field research with the UGM team in Indonesia to study the impacts of large-scale renewable energy projects contracted to Chinese companies. The fieldwork focused on two flagship sites: Karawang 100MW Solar Park, and Cirata 145 MW Floating Solar Plant.

Between 15-23 August @yixiansun.bsky.social had a productive visit in South Africa. In Johannesburg, Yixian attended the Transformations Community/Earth System Governance Conference, where he presented our CGEL database, as well as a book chapter on the future of the Sustainable Development Goals.

We are pleased to share that last month, the ‘Essential Concepts for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals’ was published, co-edited by SGAIN’s PI Dr Yixian Sun, alongside lead academics Frank Biermann, Thomas Hickmann, Yi hyun Kang, and Carole-Anne Senit.

Essential Concepts for Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals

This book provides a highly accessible and user-friendly overview of the essential concepts and terms related to the current global endeavour to implement the

doi.org

Across two days at the end of June, SGAIN team members met at Bath University to discuss their work over the last year, and plan future collaboration. Members from Bath, Indonesia, Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan presented their research, before brainstorming how to enhance cross-country learning.

On 24-25 June 2025, we were honoured to host to the Conference on China and Global Sustainability Transition, with over 60 expert attendees from more than 15 countries coming to our historic city of Bath.

The Bath Conference on China & Global Sustainability Transition is underway. Hosted by the University, the conference brings over 60 experts from more than 15 countries to explore how China can play a pivotal role in addressing the global sustainability transition. bit.ly/4kM0zdU

Over the next one and half days (24/25th June), Bath will be host to a milestone event, the Conference on China and Global Sustainability Transition, held by the SGAIN Project from the University of Bath.

In just four days, we will welcome over fifty participants to Bath, England for the Conference on China and Global Sustainability Transition, organised by our team with the support of the @bath-iscc.bsky.social and @dialogueearth.bsky.social

Later this month, the Conference on China and Global Sustainability Transition will take place in Bath, in partnership with the @bath-iscc.bsky.social and @dialogueearth.bsky.social. We are pleased to now share our official brochure, including a full programme of events.

On 21-27 April @yixiansun.bsky.social visited China to share our work at multiple events and engage with various partners. Yixian gave talks on his book project on China’s green soft power and introduced our China’s Global Environmental Leadership Database at multiple universities.

We're excited to share this new article by @yixiansun.bsky.social ahead of our China and Global Sustainability Transition conference later this year. His insights set the stage for an event that will unite global experts to overcome barriers for understanding China and sustainable development.

The University of Bath@uniofbath.bsky.social · last yr.

Ahead of an international conference led by the University of Bath, academic Dr Yixian Sun calls on China to seize its unique opportunity to lead on global climate action. #China #ClimateCrisis #ClimateSky www.bath.ac.uk/announcement...

We are pleased to share that earlier this month, SGAIN was represented at the 66th Annual Convention of the International Studies Association (ISA) in Chicago by several team members.

In late February, REDEFINE hosted the ‘Researching Global China Conference’ bringing together Global China scholars to discuss methodological research in the field. We are pleased to share several SGAIN researchers attended the conference, representing the project and presenting their ongoing work.

We are pleased to announce that the Bath Conference on China & Global Sustainability Transition (sgain.org/bath-confere...) will take place 24-25th of June 2025!