On 3 June 2025, the 10th Green Development Forum was held. Themed “Generative Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Sustainable Development,” the forum was co-hosted by Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences (SASS) and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), and organized by the SASS Institute of Ecology and Sustainable Development. Experts and scholars from China, Germany, and the Netherlands convened to explore the implications of generative AI for global sustainable development.
Liu Yun, Vice President of SASS, delivered the opening address. She pointed out that generative artificial intelligence—capable of producing text, images, videos, and even code—has ushered AI into a new era of “creation.” This paradigm shift is reshaping models of content production, product design, and knowledge generation, making generative AI a powerful driver of global economic and social transformation. Liu emphasized the need to seize this historic opportunity to reshape sustainable development paradigms, striking a dynamic balance between technological innovation and risk mitigation. She called for proactive efforts to unlock AI’s transformative potential for green transition, while also addressing the complex challenges posed by its widespread application.
In his opening remarks, Benjamin Reichenbach, Chief Representative of the FES Shanghai Representative Office, noted that 2025 marks a turning point in the development of generative AI. Models such as DeepSeek have sparked global discussion, highlighting both the opportunities and risks of this technology. He pointed out that generative AI can boost efficiency in areas like energy management and resource optimization, offering valuable support for green transformation. At the same time, its reliance on high-intensity computing and energy consumption could lead to adverse effects, such as carbon emissions rebound and increased water usage. Reichenbach stressed the need for countries to strategically prioritize AI regulation, accelerate the establishment of legal and governance frameworks, and enhance international coordination and dialogue. While acknowledging the differences in China and Germany’s approaches to AI governance, he underlined the importance of mutual learning and consensus-building to jointly advance the responsible application of generative AI for sustainable development.
Throughout the forum, participants engaged in a series of expert presentations and in-depth discussions on topics such as “The Impact of Generative AI on Socio-Economic Development in China and Europe”, “Policy Pathways to Reduce the Environmental Footprint of AI”, “Strategies to Enhance the Resilience and Resource Efficiency of the AI Supply Chain” and “Technical Regulation for Sustainable Development: Challenges and Perspectives from China-Germany/China-Europe.”
