
Program:
09:30 – 10:00 Registration
10:00 – 10:05 Welcome & Opening Remarks
10:05 – 10:45 Expert Insights: Behavioral Science and Climate Action
Each speaker presents key insights from their research, covering topics such as:
- Cognitive and affective drivers of climate action by Prof. Tobias Brosch,University of Geneva
- Scaling High-Impact Climate Action: Global cases and China’s practice by Shiyang Li, General Manager of Rare China Center for Behavior
- Overcoming Climate Change Apathy to Promote Public Climate Actions by Prof. Yan Sun, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Empowering Youth Innovation for a Sustainable Food System by Shirley Lu,ProVeg International Managing Director -Asia & China Chief Representative
- Mapping Pathways to Pro-Climate Intentions and Behaviors Among the Chinese Public by Prof. Tienming Lee, Sun Yat-sen University
10:45 – 11:15 Moderated Panel Discussion
11:15 – 11:30 Q&A
Speakers
-
Bio
Prof. Tobias Brosch
Professor in Psychology, Chair of Psychology in Sustainable Development, University of GenevaTobias Brosch is Professor at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, where he holds the chair for Psychology of Sustainable Development. His research integrates psychology, affective sciences, behavioral economics, and neuroscience to explore the cognitive and affective mechanisms driving energy consumption and pro-environmental actions. Notably, he has investigated the role of emotions in climate change perception and action, contributing to the development of psychological interventions to combat climate disinformation. His work emphasizes the importance of affective processes in promoting sustainable decision-making and has been instrumental in shaping strategies to encourage environmentally responsible behavior. This research has been published in more than 80 peer-reviewed articles in journals including PNAS, Nature Energy, Nature Climate Change, and Nature Human Behavior. He moreover actively engages with policy makers to bring insights from behavioral science into policy work and to promote science-policy collaborations. He regularly consults for institutions such as the World Economic Forum, the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, or the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. He is representative of the American Psychological Association (APA), the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA), and the Swiss Federation of Psychologists (SFP) to the United Nations.
-
Bio
Shiyang Li
General Manager of Rare China Center for Behavior, is aShiyang Li, as the General Manager of Rare China Center for Behavior, is a seasoned leader committed to catalyzing positive change by applying behavior science to environmental challenges. She oversees all institutional programs and operations aimed at promoting sustainability, drawing upon over a decade of experience in leveraging behavior science to address pressing environmental issues like wetland protection and sustainable agriculture, as well as promoting behavior adoption for climate-friendly practices. In recent years, Shiyang has been instrumental in leading the “Pride on our Plates” project, which has empowered hundreds of restaurants across China to combat food waste through the strategic application of behavioral science.
With a Master’s Degree in East Asia Studies from Columbia University and another in Sociology from Renmin University, Shiyang’s interdisciplinary approach underscores her deep understanding of social dynamics and behavior. Through her unwavering dedication, she continues to propel progress towards a more sustainable future, leaving an indelible mark on environmental conservation and behavior science.
Shiyang Li is a seasoned professional with a passion for making a meaningful impact in the realms of behavior science, conservation, and organizational leadership.
-
Bio
Prof. Yan Sun
Professor at the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Vice Director of the Environmental Psychology Committee of the Chinese Psychological SocietyYan Sun is a Professor at the Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He serves as the Vice Director of the Environmental Psychology Committee of the Chinese Psychological Society, a Member of the China National Committee for UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, focusing on nature education, and a Visiting Fellow at the United Nations Environment Programme – International Ecosystem Management Partnership.
His research focuses on pro-environmental psychology, climate change psychology, and public attitudes toward energy use. Several of his papers have been recognized as ESI Highly Cited Papers (ranking among the top 1% globally). He has received academic awards including the President’s Award of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Lu Jiaxi Young Talent Award.
-
Bio
Shirley Lu
ProVeg International Managing Director -Asia & China Chief RepresentativeShirley serves as the Managing Director – Asia and Chief China Representative of ProVeg International. She successfully established ProVeg’s Shanghai Representative Office, the first INGO in mainland China focused on alternative proteins. To promote sustainable food consumption, Shirley has spoken at and launched food forums that unite government officials, academics, senior executives, and startup entrepreneurs to provide insights and address opportunities and challenges. She is also a Coordinating Lead Author for a UNEP Global Environment Outlook brief on The Changing Role of Business in Transforming the Food System. Shirley has extensive background in both retail foods and foodservice in Asia. She started her career with P&G Taiwan in marketing, and has since worked for Mars Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Korea, Unilever China, and Rich’s Foods APAC. Before joining ProVeg, Shirley led regional marketing at Tate & Lyle APAC in specialty food ingredients based in Singapore. Her expertise includes go-to-market strategy, innovation, brand & product portfolio management, market research, and customer acquisition. Shirley’s footprint goes beyond Asia. She has frequented major international food shows to scout for new ideas and innovations driving the green food economy.
Shirley served as a committee leader at AmCham Shanghai’s Food, Agriculture & Beverage Committee from 2010 to 2019, and founder and leader of the foodservice sub-committee. She holds a BA degree from National Taiwan University in Taipei and an MBA from Columbia University in New York.
-
Bio
Prof. Tien Ming Lee
Professor at the School of Ecology at Sun Yat-sen University and visiting fellow at the Oxford Martin School at the University of OxfordTien Ming Lee is a Professor at the School of Ecology at Sun Yat-sen University since 2017, where he is also a visiting fellow at the Oxford Martin School at the University of Oxford. He is a Singaporean and has biological science degrees from National University of Singapore and University of California, San Diego. He then completed postdoctoral fellowships, focusing on behavioral science research, at Columbia, Yale and Princeton Universities. He took a two-year hiatus from academe in 2015 and worked as a data scientist at an EdTech in New York City. He has since published over 100 SCI papers in top journals such as Nature, Science, PNAS, Nature Climate Change, Nature Sustainability, Nature Ecology and Evolution, One Earth and others. He is also on the editorial board of journals such as Journal of Applied Ecology, Conservation Biology, Conservation Letters, PLoS Biology and PLoS Sustainability and Transformation. He is particularly interested in complex issues related to conservation science, socioecological systems, and climate change, where he is constantly looking to work with innovative students and collaborators on exciting sustainability ideas beneficial to science and society.
Partners
Climate Ring Shanghai
-
Art Exhibits – Climate Ring Shanghai
22 April 2025 — 26 April 2025In a world increasingly shaped by climate change and ecological interconnection, Breathe, Twin Cloud, and Apocalyptic Optimists invite us to reflect on our place in a shared, more-than-human world.
-
Breathing Clouds: Art, Science, and the Air We Share
26 April 2025This roundtable brings together artists, scientists, and environmental thinkers to explore the intersections of art, science, and policy through the lens of air and clouds, elements that are both invisible and essential, shaping history, climate change, and human experience.
-
The Future Speaks for Itself: Youth Perspectives on the Environment
25 April 2025Rising temperatures and extreme weather events are already being felt across the globe. In consequence, society is gearing up to transition to a more sustainable system, from politics, innovation, to civil society.
-
Innovation Night for Climate
25 April 2025Innovation is often viewed as a vital solution to global challenges such as climate change. However, it also presents its own set of contradictions. This event will explore the complex relationship between climate action and innovation, where bold ideas promise transformation but may also lead to unintended consequences.
-
Earth Day Climate Fresk Workshop
26 April 2025The best fighters need to study their opponent. Where they punch hard. What are their patterns. How they became who they are. Come and study our common opponent Climate Change in a fun and interactive way through the Climate Fresk Workshop. And get ready to join the fight yourself.
-
Sustainability and Innovation 4 Impact SwissCham PechaKucha Style Night
24 April 2025This event organized by SwissCham leverages the globally recognized PechaKucha format, where speakers present their ideas using 20 slides, each shown for 20 seconds, resulting in concise yet impactful presentations lasting just 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
-
CEA-4 Launch Event & Low-Carbon Urban Design Roundtable
23 April 2025This event will take place alongside the Low-Carbon Urban Design Roundtable, hosted in collaboration with Swissnex in China during Shanghai Climate Week. This roundtable brings together professionals, designers, and agencies to explore how urban planning and design can contribute to decarbonisation.
-
Climate Ring Opening Symposium: Sino-Swiss Visions for a Sustainable Future
22 April 2025This symposium brings together Swiss and Chinese experts from law, psychology, urban planning, and the arts to explore climate change through an interdisciplinary lens. The discussions aim to bridge governance, public perception, and urban sustainability, fostering Sino-Swiss collaboration on climate solutions.
-
Climate Ring Shanghai
22 April 2025 — 26 April 2025Step into the ring. Join the fight for our planet. The Climate Ring Shanghai is a collective battle against climate change. In this ring, we don’t exchange punches but ideas and each “round” of discussion brings us closer to impactful solutions.