Climate leadership is increasingly recognised as a cornerstone of the global response to the escalating climate crisis. As nations, industries, cities, and communities confront the profound challenges of climate change, the need for visionary, science-based, and action-oriented leadership has never been more urgent. Effective climate leadership can catalyse ambitious policy innovation, accelerate technology deployment, mobilise finance at scale, and foster inclusive pathways toward carbon neutrality and climate-resilient development.
Building on the success of the inaugural event, the 2nd International Conference on Climate Leadership will be held on 18-20 July 2026 in Harbin, China. The conference will bring together scholars, policymakers, and industry practitioners from around the world to share cutting-edge research, practical insights, and emerging solutions. It aims to serve as a dynamic platform for interdisciplinary dialogue and collaborative learning, advancing our collective understanding of how climate leadership can be exercised effectively across different sectors, governance levels, and socio-economic contexts.
We invite high-quality submissions that advance theoretical, empirical, or policy debates related to climate leadership. Contributions from diverse disciplines—including economics, environmental studies, public policy, engineering, management, sociology, climate science, and related fields—are warmly welcomed.
Submissions may address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
l Artificial intelligence (AI) and climate change
l Behavioural change and public engagement
l Climate adaptation and resilience
l Climate finance and investment
l Climate leadership in emerging and developing economies
l Corporate climate strategies and leadership
l Deep decarbonisation of key sectors
l Digital transformation and climate change
l Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
l Extreme weather and system risks
l International climate cooperation
l Just transitions and social inclusion
l Low-carbon technologies and innovation
l National and regional climate governance
l Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)
l Urban climate action and sustainable infrastructure
Conference Organizers
l Business School, Harbin Institute of Technology
l Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London
l Chinese Economic Association UK/Europe
Date and Venue
l Date: 18-20 July 2026
l Venue: No. 66 Xidazhi Street, Harbin, 150001, China
Conference Chairs
l Prof. Tao Ma, Dean of Business School, Harbin Institute of Technology
l Prof. Priti Parikh, Director of Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London
l Prof. Zhifu Mi, 36th President of Chinese Economic Association UK/Europe
Keynote Speakers
l Xuemei Bai, Professor at Australian National University, Fellow of Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.
l Ruben Enikolopov, Professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Chair of the Board of the Review of Economic Studies (One of TOP5 Economics journals).
l Marc Gruber, Professor at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Switzerland, Editor-in-Chief of Academy of Management Journal (UTD).
l Priti Parikh, Professor at University College London, Director of Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction.
l Shilong Piao, Professor and Vice President of Peking University, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
l Rosalie L. Tung, Professor at Simon Fraser University, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of International Business Studies (UTD).
l Richard S J Tol, Professor at University of Sussex, Member of Academia Europaea.
l Other speakers to be confirmed…
Publishing Opportunities
The conference is supported by the Environmental Research Communications (Impact Factor: 2.9), which will publish a special issue on "Climate Leadership." Papers accepted for presentation at the conference will receive priority for inclusion in the special issue. Please note that the conference submission and special issue submission processes are independent.
Special issue submission:
https://iopscience.iop.org/collections/erc-250515-844
In addition, the following journal editors have been confirmed to attend the conference, and the selected papers will be recommended to the supporting journals based on merit:
l Advances in Climate Change Research (Impact Factor: 5.2)
l Academy of Management Journal (Impact Factor: 10.5; one of the UTD journals)
l Cell Reports Sustainability
l Chinese Journal of Population, Resources and Environment (Impact Factor: 4.8)
l Climate Policy (Impact Factor: 5.2)
l Journal of Comparative Economics (Impact Factor: 3.1)
l Journal on Computing (Impact Factor: 2.1; one of the UTD journals)
l Nature Climate Change (Impact Factor: 27.1)
l Review of Economic Studies (Impact Factor: 6.4; one of the TOP5 Economics journals)
l Structural Change and Economic Dynamics (Impact Factor: 5.5)
l Other journals to be confirmed…
International Organisations Session
This session will focus on the role and influence of international organisations in the global climate governance system. It will explore how these international organisations contribute to advancing the global climate agenda through policy advocacy, project implementation, capacity building, and multilateral cooperation. In addition, invited speakers will offer practical guidance for early career researchers and students interested in entering this field. They will share insights on internship opportunities, recruitment processes, required competencies, and long-term career development pathways. The following organisations are among those to be invited:
l Asian Development Bank (ADB)
l Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
l C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40)
l United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
l United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
l World Economic Forum (WEF)
l World Resources Institute (WRI)
l World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
Awards
Best Paper Awards and Best Poster Awards will be announced at the conference. Awardees will receive a certificate in recognition of their contribution. While registration is open for both papers and abstracts, please note that only full paper submissions are eligible for the Best Paper Award.
Submission Guidelines
Please submit your full papers or extended abstracts via the conference official website https://www.climateleadership.cn/. Submissions should include:
l Title
l Extended abstract or full paper
l Authors and institutional affiliations
l Contact information for the presenting author
Key Dates
l Submissions open: 9 March 2026
l Submissions close: 31 May 2026
l Acceptance notification: 30 June 2026
l Registration close: 10 July 2026
l Conference: 18-20 July 2026
Registration Fees
The registration fee for the conference is USD 99, and USD 50 for students. Lunches will be provided during the conference period. Participants are responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and other personal expenses.
l Remittance Account:
Account Holder: Harbin Institute of Technology
Account Number: 3500040109008900513
Bank: Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Co., Ltd., Harbin Dazhi Sub-Branch
Bank Code: 102261001141
Bank Address: No. 318, East Dazhi Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
SWIFT CODE: ICBKCNBJHLJ (ICBC Heilongjiang Provincial Branch)
l Payment Assistance:
Please click the [Register] link at the top of the conference website to complete your registration information. After logging into your account, go to [Financial Management] - [Registration Fee], select and submit the relevant information. Once the payment (via bank transfer or QR code scan) is completed, upload the payment receipt screenshot under [Financial Management] - [Upload Transfer Information]. If an invoice is required, please fill out the application under [Financial Management] - [Invoice Information].
Visa Information
For participants who require a visa to attend the conference, the local organising team will provide an invitation letter upon request. Please contact the organisers well in advance to allow sufficient time for visa application and processing.
News for 2025 conference
Here is the news of the 2025 conference on the UCL website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/news/2025/aug/bssc-international-conference-climate-leadership-summit-china
Enquiries
For any questions, please contact the local organising team via email at climateleadership@hotmail.com
