Peking University, Sep 22, 2025: Forbes has released its 2025 Sustainability Leaders list on September 18, recognizing 50 individuals worldwide for their impact on climate action and the green transition. Professor Yu Kongjian, from the College of Architecture and Landscape at Peking University, was named to the list as the sole Chinese representative. 

Forbes notes that these honorees hail from academia, business and politics, driving global climate governance through innovation and tangible results. 


Yu Kongjian is the advocate and practitioner of the ‘sponge city’, driving China to incorporate it into national policy in 2015, and having completed over thousands of projects across more than 250 cities worldwide. It has become a representative Chinese solution for flood management and urban resilience. Professor Yu’s inclusion in the list not only highlights his personal academic achievement and practical contributions but also underscores Peking University's intellectual leadership in the global sustainable development arena.

Written by: Wang Yu Hsuan
Edited by: Chen Shizhuo
Source: PKU News (Chinese)