ISO International Standard Seminar on "Near-Zero Carbon Cities" was held

On October 20, 2022, the 2nd International Standardization Forum on Global Urban Sustainability - the annual conference of the International Public Symposium on Good Practices for Near-Zero Carbon Cities was held recently.

According to the seminar, the ISO/TR 37115 "Good Practices for Near-Zero Carbon Cities", led by Chinese ISSCC member cities, is the first ISO international standard focusing on urban carbon emissions and is expected to be published in 2024. The technical report will summarize the practical experience of near-zero carbon emission management and technology in global cities, and provide the world with standardized solutions for carbon neutral cities that can be implemented and referred to.

The 2nd International Standardization Forum on Global Urban Sustainability is organized by the State Standardization Administration Committee (SAC), the International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee on Sustainable Urban and Community Development (ISO/TC 268), and the National Technical Committee on Sustainable Urban Development (SAC/TC 567), with the support of the China Standardization Institute, the Royal Road Ten Group, and the Shanghai Sustainable Development Research Association International More than 200 representatives from China, France, UK, Japan, Brazil, Italy, Malaysia, Kenya and other countries as well as international organizations such as UNEP and ISO attended the conference.

The Chairman of ISO Technical Committee on Sustainable Development of Cities and Communities (ISO/TC268), Bonald Gindoz, and the representative of United Nations Environment Programme in China, Tu Ruhe, expressed in their speeches the concern of ISO and United Nations for climate change issues, and the importance and urgency of urban carbon emission reduction and achieving carbon neutrality respectively. Addressing climate change is one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and an important part of ISO's work. This meeting is of great significance to promote the development of ISO/TR 37115, play the role of international standardization and promote the implementation of the United Nations sustainable development goals.

Sun Wei, Director of Social Management and Public Services Division of SAC, expressed his support for the conference and the development of ISO/TR 37115, and called for more experts and cities to participate in the development of the standard to help cities better use standardization to actively and effectively respond to climate change and its impacts.

Dr. Yang Feng of the China Institute of Standardization said that SAC/TC 567, as the domestic counterpart of ISO/TC 268, will take this meeting as an opportunity to further collect excellent practice cases of "near-zero carbon cities" in China, and strive to contribute Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to accelerate the development of ISO/TR 37115. It is reported that, in accordance with ISO/TR 37115, the Chinese government will be responsible for the development of ISO/TR 37115.

It is reported that, according to the follow-up arrangement of ISO/TR 37115, several domestic and international expert seminars will be held in the future to widely absorb suggestions from all parties, so as to ensure the scientific and operability of the international standard and provide strong standardization support for the global goal of carbon neutrality.