(Yicai) June 5 -- [Editor’s note] With the implementation of international environmental, social, and governance standards, industrial development has entered a new era.

Last year marked the 20th anniversary of the ESG concept. At this important historical juncture, the United Nations Global Compact, the Center for Asia-Pacific at China International Communications Group, and Yicai jointly launched the "ESG+20 Sustainable Development Leadership Interview Series." This series explores the insights, achievements, and leadership of Chinese businesses in sustainable development and corporate social responsibility through dialogues with 20 Chinese entrepreneurs and on-site visits.

In this episode of the “ESG+20 Sustainable Development Leadership Interview Series,” we spoke with Li Yinsheng, chairman of China Three Gorges International. The overseas arm of the Chinese hydropower giant joined the United Nations Global Compact in 2024 and participated in the 2025 SDG Innovation Accelerator for Young Professionals in China.

For a long time, the three goals of energy development -- safety, economy, and greenness -- have been considered difficult to realize simultaneously, as these targets often influence and restrict one another. For example, new energy sources are environmentally friendly but often less reliable.

Chairman Li pointed out that hydropower is one of the few energy sources capable of balancing all three goals effectively. As a key platform for China’s hydropower sector to "go global," CTG International promotes green transformation and sustainable development through its global clean energy projects.

Hydropower is a typical clean energy source. Industry experts have suggested that hydropower is among the best energy options for achieving carbon neutrality. As one of the world’s major hydropower producers, China has abundant water resources and vast development potential. CTG has always emphasized green development by continuously expanding its clean energy capacity, developing hydropower responsibly, and actively advancing new and renewable energy sources.

CTG International is CTG’s primary overseas investment platform, with operations spanning five continents and an installed capacity of over 19 million kilowatts. For example, the Karot Hydropower Project in Pakistan is a flagship project under China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Built using Chinese standards and technologies, it generates 3.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 2.7 million tons, and benefits five million people. In Brazil, the company has developed a hydropower station that has become an industry benchmark, combining Chinese and local technological approaches and creating a 400-kilometer ecological corridor to reconnect fragmented forests and protect biodiversity.

Li emphasized that sustainable development is embedded in CTG’s DNA. The company joined the United Nations Global Compact in 2024 and is participating in the UN’s SDG Innovation Accelerator program. In fact, its Brazilian subsidiary joined the program as early as 2017. Quoting the African proverb, “If you want to go fast, walk alone; if you want to go far, walk together,” he called on global enterprises to collaborate in deepening ESG practices and addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

Editor: Emmi Laine