At the ongoing Zhongguancun Forum in Beijing, Xu Ming, associate dean of the School of Environment at Tsinghua University and founder of the "Tiangong Initiative," highlighted the project's ambition to build a digital infrastructure to support companies in their low-carbon transition.

Xu explained that the initiative aims to develop a comprehensive data system, a "digital topology" of industrial networks, that can map and optimize emissions across supply chains. Such infrastructure, he said, holds significant potential to improve how industries manage and reduce their environmental impact.

Looking ahead, Xu underscored the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in environmental governance. He described AI as a potential "brain" for environmental management, capable of handling tasks that currently rely heavily on human labor. While noting that major breakthroughs have yet to emerge, he said current applications remain largely sector-specific, with more profound, system-level advances expected in the future.

Xu also pointed to China's strengths in this field, including robust AI infrastructure and a wide range of real-world application scenarios. These diverse use cases, he noted, provide valuable experience that can inform efforts in other countries, particularly in the developing world.

However, he cautioned against a one-size-fits-all approach. Environmental solutions, he emphasized, must be tailored to local conditions.  

"We can provide infrastructure and technology," Xu said, "while local partners contribute their on-the-ground knowledge."

Through such collaboration, he added, countries can more effectively address shared environmental challenges in the years ahead.

The Zhongguancun Forum, running from Wednesday to Sunday in Beijing, is focused on the theme of "Full Integration Between Technological and Industrial Innovation." Since its founding in 2007, the forum has become a major international event for advancing science and technology innovation.