On November 3, the Progress Meeting for the "Carbon Neutrality and Energy System Transformation" (CNEST) Multilateral Collaboration Program was successfully held at the Institute for Carbon Neutrality(ICON), Tsinghua University. The meeting was chaired by Professor He Kebin, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the ICON. More than thirty experts and scholars, including He Jiankun, Jiang Peixue, Jiang Yi, Kang Chongqing, Li Zheng, Sun Xin, Wang Zhe, Lu Xi, Xu Ruina, Guan Dabo, Wang Xiaonan, and Wang Hewu, attended the meeting. In-depth discussions were held on core issues such as the refinement of scientific questions, design of technical routes, promotion of achievement review, and the establishment of international cooperation mechanisms.

At the meeting, Professor Wang Zhe, Associate Dean of the ICON, presented the latest progress on behalf of the program team. The attending experts unanimously agreed that achieving carbon neutrality is not merely a technical optimization problem for the energy system but requires a fundamental transformation of the economic and social development paradigm. During the expert discussion session, He Jiankun pointed out that the CNEST program should focus on global science questions, fully consider the differences in development stages and models across regions, and actively explore institutionalized paths for international cooperation. Jiang Peixue, the program leader, emphasized that the cultivation phase of the "Carbon Neutrality and Energy System Transformation" program should focus on theoretical innovation, mechanism construction, and methodological research for energy system transformation, further clarify the research paths and achievement goals, and solidly promote the implementation of the program. The insights from both experts provided crucial guidance for the program's positioning and future direction.

Regarding the refinement of scientific questions, experts suggested focusing on globally impactful science questions, paying attention to the differences in development stages across various regions, and conducting in-depth research on the energy transition itself, as well as the application of artificial intelligence in energy transition. In terms of technical pathways, the program should strengthen research at the systems level to enhance the feasibility and practical implementation of technology applications. Concerning international cooperation, experts recommended intensifying research on global cooperation mechanisms, exploring effective ways to attract international experts, and promoting technology transfer and collaborative innovation. The program should also integrate existing international cooperation platforms and explore cooperation models that combine centralized and distributed approaches.

Finally, He Kebin, Chairman of the Program's Scientific Committee, stated that as a next step, the program team will organize regular academic salons to further refine scientific questions and strengthen interdisciplinary exchanges and collaboration. Relying on the CNEST program, support will be provided for research in different regions of the world on the relationship between key elements, energy systems, and low-carbon transitions, continuously promoting the program's international progress and collaborative innovation.