LocationsOpening Remarks by Mr James George at the 2025 Hydrogen Entrepreneurship Competition Finals
August 27, 2025
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in China, James George, delivered opening remarks at the 2025 Hydrogen Entrepreneurship Competition Finals in Ordos City, China.
Dear colleagues, partners, and friends,
Good morning!
On behalf of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China, I am delighted to attend this exciting event taking place in the beautiful city of Ordos.
Let me begin by extending my heartfelt congratulations to the People's Government of Ejin Horo Banner, the China Hydrogen Alliance, and all partners for organizing this important, forward-looking event.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today, we meet at a critical time in history - of profound challenges and opportunities.
A month ago, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated how in a world that is facing significant multiple climate crises, we are also seeing positive progress – notably the coming of a new energy era.
The energy landscape is changing – dramatically and rapidly, around the world.
Investments in clean energy went up from $1.2 trillion in 2020 to $2 trillion last year and by almost 70% in ten years.
The International Renewable Energy Agency notes that solar, which used to be four times the cost of fossil fuels, is now 41% cheaper.
Over 90% of new renewables worldwide produced electricity for less than the cheapest new fossil fuel alternative.
If we analyse the focus of some of these investments, we see a trend.
For example, in the KPMG’s ‘The Energy transition investment outlook: 2025 and beyond,’ they indicated that 64% have invested in energy efficiency technologies, followed by renewables (56%), storage and grids (54%), and transport infrastructure (51%).
In 2024, almost all newly installed power capacity came from renewables.
What is the message today? A just transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy is inevitable.
What we need to ensure now is to harness the vast potential and benefits of renewable energy to serve the needs of people and economies, create sustainable employment opportunities, and strengthen the resilience of communities and economies.
Ladies and gentlemen,
UNDP’s partnership on renewable energy in China began with our very first Country Programme in 1982.
It was designed to support the Government of China’s Sixth Five-Year plan, with emphasis placed on research, policy development, and demonstrative pilots on wind, solar and geothermal power.
Over the past four decades, we have been very proud to have accompanied China’s development trajectory in exploring and adopting new frontiers of energy solutions and options.
One lesson we have learned here in China and globally is the critical need to continue building and reskilling the workforce.
"What is the message today? A just transition away from fossil fuels to renewable energy is inevitable."
As such, today’s event on the need to cultivate talent and innovation in the green hydrogen industry – a rapidly growing sector in Ordos and China - is critical.
Green hydrogen has a crucial role in helping China realize its dual carbon goals of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.
It also holds the potential to contribute to decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors like steel, chemicals, and heavy transport.
That brings me to the event today and also UNDP’s future engagement here in Ordos.
First of all, let me commend the efforts of the Ejin Horo Banner Government in promoting hydrogen energy development through supportive policies and industrial planning.
Located in one of China’s 11 National SDG Demonstration Zones, efforts undertaken here have the potential to provide critical, pragmatic and valuable lessons for green development strategies and policy lessons across China to achieve China’s dual carbon goals.
Building on this momentum and our shared commitment to advancing sustainable development in China, I am pleased to announce that UNDP, together with the Ministry of Commerce’s China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges (CICETE) and the People’s Government of Ejin Horo Banner, will soon launch the Green Hydrogen Energy Commercialization to Promote Green Recovery and Inclusive Development Project.
This initiative will focus on fostering a sustainable green hydrogen industry in Ordos City, addressing critical challenges including infrastructure development and technological gaps.
The initiative aims to create high-skilled job opportunities and promote inclusivity, ensuring that women and youth benefit equitably from the clean energy transition in Ordos.
We believe that this project will complement existing efforts by the Government and provide a robust framework for green recovery, inclusive development, and international cooperation and technical exchanges.
Together, we can create a future where hydrogen energy is not only a technological solution but also a tool for social and economic empowerment.
In closing, I wish today’s finalists great success!
I hope the participating enterprises and projects showcased here will play a key role in shaping the future of the hydrogen energy industry across China.
Together, we can accelerate the global energy transition and build a green, low-carbon, and sustainable future, where no one is left behind!
Thank you and good luck!
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