Under the clear autumn sun, the pursuit of knowledge continues unabated. As the global wave of green transformation surges forward, the carbon market has become a crucial engine driving low-carbon economic and social development. In October 2025, all students from the International Business Master's program, Class of 2025, at the School of Economics and Management, Wuhan University, visited the China Carbon Register (CCR), located in Wuhan's Central Business District, for an in-depth study tour themed "Carbon Insights for the Future." Within this national-level platform, hailed as the "Operational Hub" of the national carbon market, the students gained an understanding of the top-level design of China's "Dual Carbon" strategy within the context of real carbon trading scenarios, felt the powerful pulse of green finance, and, through the collision of theory and practice, reshaped their perception of the mission for international business talents in the new era.
(1) Entering the Core of the Carbon Market: Understanding Green Financial Infrastructure
Stepping into the CCR exhibition hall, the highly technological data visualization screens and meticulously designed display space immediately immersed the students in a futuristic world of carbon finance. Guided by professional docents, the students systematically toured six core exhibition areas, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the complete development trajectory of the carbon market, from international consensus to Chinese practice.
From the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change laying the foundation for global climate governance, to the Kyoto Protocol pioneering market-based emission reduction mechanisms; from the Paris Agreement setting global temperature control goals, to China proposing the "3060 Dual Carbon Goals" – this clear historical axis made the students deeply realize that the carbon market is a vital innovation in the global response to climate change, transitioning from concept to practice, from political consensus to economic mechanism.
"Although China's carbon market started relatively late, it has already become the world's largest carbon market in terms of covered greenhouse gas emissions," the docent emphasized, noting that the CCR, as the core registration and settlement platform for the national carbon market, is not only a policy implementation body but also a key component of green financial infrastructure. This unique positioning gave
the students a more intuitive understanding of the tangible support for green finance.
(2) From Theory to Practice: The Financial Logic and Real-World Operation of the Carbon Market
In the "National Carbon Market Construction" exhibition area, the real-time rolling transaction data sparked strong interest among the students. By the end of 2024, the settlement completion rates for the three compliance cycles of the national carbon market reached 99.61%, 99.88%, and 99.98% respectively. The continuously rising compliance rate demonstrates the effectiveness of the market mechanism. The figures of 189 million tons of quota turnover and 18.114 billion RMB in transaction value for the year 2024 made the abstract concept of the market tangible and concrete.
By gaining an in-depth understanding of CCR's dual functions – providing public services like quota allocation and compliance management for government departments, and offering market-oriented services like carbon asset registration and transaction settlement for over 3,700 key emitting enterprises – the students gradually grasped the financial attributes of "carbon assets." "So, carbon emission allowances are not just an environmental right, but also a tradable, mortgageable, and manageable financial asset," the students remarked during exchanges, "This completely change our previous perception of 'emissions'."
What particularly impressed the students was the official implementation of the "Interim Regulations on the Management of Carbon Emission Rights Trading" on May 1, 2024, which, together with 33 supporting normative documents, constitutes the institutional framework of the national carbon market. "This marks the carbon market's transition from pilot exploration to a new stage of legalized and standardized development," the docent explained, "providing a solid institutional guarantee for the healthy development of green finance."
(3) Green Financial Innovation and New Momentum for Regional Development
During the visit, the students paid special attention to the profound impact of CCR's establishment in Wuhan on regional development. As the only carbon market pilot province in central China, Hubei, leveraging its "first-mover" advantage, has built a regional carbon market system with sound institutions, strong supervision, and active trading. The "magnetic effect" of CCR as a national platform is continuously attracting carbon factor resources to gather in Wuhan, aiding the city's goal of building "a nationally influential carbon market and carbon finance center."
"I didn't realize Wuhan held such an important position in the field of green finance," one student expressed, "This makes us full of expectation for developing our careers here in Wuhan." What further inspired the students were Hubei's exploratory practices in carbon finance innovation, such as the integrated financial service system linking "investment, loans, equities, bonds, insurance, and guarantees," providing valuable experience for the synergistic development of green finance and green industries.
(4) From Awareness to Mission: The Responsibility of Youth in the Era of Green Finance
In the final "Zero-Carbon Future" exhibition area, displays of cutting-edge technologies such as CCUS technology models, renewable energy utilization sand tables, and intelligent carbon footprint management platforms sparked the students' boundless imagination about the future business landscape.
"Emitting carbon has a cost, reducing carbon brings profit" is not just a slogan on the wall but a market logic already in operation. From the appreciation of "life diversity" during bird-watching activities to the understanding of the "carbon market mechanism" from the CCR visit, Wuhan University's International Business students are building a complete cognitive map from natural ecology to economic systems through an interdisciplinary perspective.
Through this visit, the students deeply realized that as international business talents in the new era, they must not only master traditional business skills but also understand the development trends of emerging fields like green finance. "Against the backdrop of global green transformation, green finance will become an important dimension of international business," the students unanimously agreed, "We need to prepare in advance and actively embrace this trend."
This visit to the China Carbon Register allowed the International Business students from Wuhan University to deepen their understanding of green finance in a real business context and strengthen their sense of mission to contribute to green development. From the classroom to the market, from theory to practice, the students are growing into a new generation of business talents who understand both commerce and the environment, possessing both international vision and deep knowledge of Chinese practice. In the surging tide of green finance development, Wuhan University's International Business students are ready to contribute their wisdom and strength.
Photos: Peixian ZHU
Editor: Ziteng CHEN
Reviewer: Lei XIN.
Faculty and Staff
Academics
International Exchange
