Energizing a Sustainable Future: The 29th World Gas Conference Opens in Beijing
- Written by Telegraph Magazine
BEIJING, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 20 May 2025 - On the morning of May 20, the 29th World Gas Conference (WGC2025) opened at the China National Convention Center in Beijing.
This marks the first time in the nearly 100-year history of the World Gas Conference that the event is being held in China. As one of the three flagship events of the International Gas Union (IGU), this year's conference is themed "Energizing a Sustainable Future." It has brought together more than 3,000 delegates from 70 countries and regions around the world to engage in in-depth discussions and consensus-building on global energy transition, the development of the natural gas industry, and pathways to a sustainable future. 
The opening ceremony was chaired by Mr. Cao Yujun, Chair of the National Organizing Committee (NOC). Speeches were delivered by Li Yalan, President of the International Gas Union; Yin Yong, Mayor of Beijing; Wan Jinsong, Deputy Director of the National Energy Administration; Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies; and Dai Houliang, Chairman of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).
Li Yalan, emphasized that amid multiple global challenges such as climate change, energy security, and geopolitical tensions, natural gas — with its advantages of abundant reserves, cleanliness, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness — is becoming an indispensable pillar of the global energy mix. She noted that China, as the world's largest importer of natural gas and LNG, is drawing growing international attention for its development model. In particular, she highlighted how Beijing has leveraged natural gas to significantly improve air quality, offering a replicable model for other developing countries.
Yin Yong stated that Beijing firmly implements the country's new energy security strategy and continues to promote the green and low-carbon transformation of the energy structure. Currently, natural gas accounts for more than 35% of Beijing's energy consumption. Through initiatives such as coal-to-gas conversion, the city has achieved a more than 60% reduction in average annual PM2.5 concentrations and nearly a 50% decrease in carbon intensity over the past decade. He reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to opening up and deepening international energy cooperation while promoting sustainable urban development.
Wan Jinsong noted that China's energy production and consumption continue to grow, with increasingly robust infrastructure and a nationwide unified gas network essentially completed. He emphasized significant improvements in natural gas dispatching and emergency response capacity. He said breakthroughs were seen in deep-earth, deep-sea, and unconventional resource development, helping boost output of natural gas. Wan proposed four key initiatives: enhancing supply capabilities to serve global public welfare, prioritizing ecology in green development, empowering the energy system through digital transformation, and improving governance via multilateral cooperation. He called for continued openness and win–win collaboration to jointly build a secure, efficient, clean, and low-carbon global energy system.
Patrick Pouyanné highlighted TotalEnergies' efforts to maintain its leadership in the conventional oil and gas market while actively participating in the global energy transition. He reiterated TotalEnergies' commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and to furthering international cooperation to build a diversified, clean, secure, and sustainable energy future.
Dai Houliang introduced CNPC's recent breakthroughs in deep oil and gas exploration, including the successful completion of a 10,000-meter ultra-deep drilling mission and continuous progress in unconventional resource development. As Asia's largest and the world's second-largest energy company, CNPC plays a key role in safeguarding national energy security and consistently undertakes critical supply missions during peak winter and summer periods. He stressed CNPC's unwavering commitment to green transition, accelerating the integration of oil, gas, and new energy, and building a synergistic, multi-energy system. As the only Chinese member of the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), CNPC will continue to actively participate in global climate governance, contribute to China's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, and help extend the benefits of green development to more countries, clients, and communities, he said.
Following the speeches, Mr. Cao Yujun, Chair of the NOC, invited Yin Li, Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC; Yin Yong, Mayor of Beijing; Li Yalan, President of the IGU; Wan Jinsong, Deputy Director of the National Energy Administration; Li Xiaolong, Vice Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development; Dai Houliang, Chairman of CNPC; and Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, to jointly inaugurate the opening ceremony. As the countdown reached zero, the main screen lit up with the words "WGC2025 Officially Opens," and the venue erupted in enthusiastic applause—marking the official launch of the 29th World Gas Conference.
According to schedule, WGC2025 will feature more than 80 high-level forums covering topics such as LNG development, natural gas and renewable energy integration, energy security, and digital transformation. More than 400 distinguished guests will engage in deep dialogue on industry trends and technological innovation. The concurrent exhibition spans 50,000 square meters — the largest in the event's history — and is expected to attract more than 30,000 professional visitors from China and abroad.
The 29th World Gas Conference (WGC2025) is presented by the International Gas Union, hosted by Beijing Gas Group, and exclusively organized by Capital Convention & Exhibition Group.
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