On September 17, 2026, as a core segment of the "2026 China Green Convention & Exhibition Conference," the closely watched China Green Convention & Exhibition Development Report (2026) was officially released at the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Tianjin). Organized and compiled by the International Convention and Exhibition Economy Committee (ICEEC) of the China International Economic Cooperation Association, the Report aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive reference for government decision-making, enterprise transformation, and the development of industry standards.
Ying Lijun, Chief Editor of the Report, Vice Chair of ICEEC, and Deputy Director of the Academic Committee of the China Convention and Exhibition Society, gave an in-depth interpretation of the Report's core ideas, research framework, and key insights at the launch event.
Positioned as "systematic assessment, trend analysis, and practical guidance," the Report breaks through the limitations of traditional research and, for the first time, comprehensively examines the green and low-carbon development of the exhibition industry from the new perspective of "momentum driving."
The Report makes clear that green conventions and exhibitions are by no means a simple adjustment in the way exhibitions are run, but a profound restructuring of the exhibition industry's value system, operating model, and industrial ecosystem. It characterizes China's exhibition industry as a "national strategic pioneering industry" and emphasizes that conventions and exhibitions are "the core vehicle for implementing the national green-trade strategy and dual-carbon goals."
This positioning breaks with the long-standing conventional view of exhibitions as merely a "supporting service industry." The Report argues that, as an important bridge connecting production and consumption and linking domestic and international markets, the depth and breadth of the industry's green transformation directly affect the building of the green-trade system and bear directly on the core ability of China's exhibition industry to compete internationally.
On the basis of in-depth research and analysis, the Report puts forward "ten key insights" on the development of green conventions and exhibitions in China, affirming positive trends while squarely facing real challenges.
On the positive side: green awareness across the industry has fully awakened, and policy drivers continue to strengthen; the upgrading of smart, energy-saving venues is accelerating, with leading venues taking the lead in digitalizing energy management; digital technology has become a core support for carbon reduction, with electronic and paperless solutions spreading rapidly; and green display technologies are iterating faster, with modular and recyclable solutions becoming increasingly mature.
On the outstanding challenges: overall development remains at the early "light green" stage, with insufficient substantive deep emission reduction; some projects are formalistic or superficial, and the phenomenon of "greenwashing" cannot be ignored; cost pressures, a talent shortage, and lagging business models have become the three core bottlenecks; and a nationwide unified certification and accounting system has yet to take shape, with a marked gap between leading enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Report foresees that, during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, green conventions and exhibitions in China will move from "pilot demonstration" to "full, nationwide coverage," achieving a systematic leap forward. Industry certification systems will gradually take root, circular supply chains will mature, and digital intelligence, low-carbon operations, and industry-education integration will become widespread.
The Report calls on colleagues across the industry—guided by standards, supported by technology, anchored in ecosystems, and guaranteed by talent—to jointly advance the green transformation of China's exhibition industry and help China move steadily from a "major exhibition country" toward a "green exhibition powerhouse." The release of the Report provides a clear "full picture" and "roadmap" for the green development of China's exhibition industry.