Tencent Showcases Initiatives to Tackle Climate Change at COP27

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The company is introducing new solutions to support the low-carbon transition and build awareness about climate change

HONG KONG, Nov. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tencent showcased next-generation low-carbon technologies at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP27, in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

These include a zero-energy radiative cooling technology to protect glaciers, Asia's first carbon mineralization storage project, and water-saving and drought-resistant rice (WDR). Tencent officials also shared details about their ongoing projects to drive innovative solutions, guide the public to lead greener lifestyles, and support the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Exploring New Solutions to Reduce Carbon Emissions

To support our society in realizing carbon neutrality, Tencent is continuously exploring new solutions in social innovation and researching cutting-edge low-carbon technologies. Sharing its mission, delegates from Tencent discussed ways to achieve carbon neutrality with stakeholders and presented Tencent's latest progress and solutions towards this objective.

During a panel discussion on Wednesday, Xu Hao, Vice President of Tencent Sustainable Social Value (SSV) and Head of Tencent Carbon Neutral Lab, showcased the first carbon mineralization storage project in Asia, a collaboration between Tencent and Icelandic carbon sequestration company Carbfix.

The company said that it's also collaborating with university research teams to develop zero-energy radiative cooling products, which allow the cooling of objects by radiating heat to outer space, to achieve both climate adaptation and carbon reduction. This technology can be used to protect glaciers and is being tested on the Dagu Glacier in Sichuan Province.

Climate change is a significant threat to global food security. To address this challenge, Tencent is working with partners to promote a new breed of water-saving and drought-resistant rice. The project will assess the WDR's greenhouse gas-reduction potential to develop carbon assets and increase its yield per acre. It will also promote the WDR's cultivation to individual farmers through interactive mobile applications.

Tencent has been actively contributing to nature-based solutions that leverage the ecosystem's own abilities to heal itself and are important tools for mitigating climate change. The company works with partners to restore seagrass beds and salt marsh ecosystems in pilot areas to develop marine carbon sinks. In forest areas, customized algorithms were created to assess forestry carbon sequestration projects to reduce monitoring and verification costs.

Integrating technology to promote low-carbon transformation

Tencent also introduced two smart energy products dubbed "Tencent EnerLink (Energy Connector)" and "Tencent EnerTwin (Energy Digital Twin)," to help companies conserve energy. These tools enable companies to more efficiently monitor and manage their energy usage by digitalizing their operations through cloud computation, big data, and the Internet of Things. Tencent Cloud partnered with Towngas China Company Limited to develop a digital platform that promotes efficiency in carbon and energy management and can reduce hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon emissions.  

In China, there are numerous industry players and individuals who have proposed innovative solutions to climate change. For example, Tencent's Tanlive (Tan means carbon in Chinese) facilitates connections between the innovators and adopters and offer technology tools and insights to accelerate the implementation of their climate solutions.

Harnessing the Power of Games to Build Awareness on Climate Change

Tencent has also leveraged its experience in developing blockbuster games titles to raise public awareness about climate change. The company's "Carbon Island" promotes a low-carbon lifestyle amongst consumers. TiMi Studio Group, a subsidiary of Tencent Games, was one of the members of the Playing for the Planet Alliance backed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNDP). The Group has been committed to creating educational experiences in-and out-of games to prepare more than 110 million players worldwide to address critical climate challenges.

Commenting on Tencent's participation in COP27 and its announcement of new technologies, Xu said, "Climate change is a collective challenge for humanity that requires collective actions. COP27 reflects the solidarity and commitments by the global community to achieve a low-carbon future. At Tencent, we are proud to be part of these global efforts to tackle climate change. Tencent has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. Along the journey, we will continue to leverage our expertise in technology to empower consumers, businesses, and society to respond to the climate crisis."

Notes to editors: As a global leading internet and technology company, Tencent is committed to its part in supporting the climate transition. In February 2022, the company outlined its pathway to achieving carbon neutrality in its own operations and across its supply chain by 2030. Tencent has also spearheaded multiple initiatives that use cutting-edge technologies to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as supporting peers in different industries to drive transformative change across their value chain to progress towards a carbon-neutral future.

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