A better understanding

"He has also inspired us to see principles behind economic models and draw inferences about other cases from one instance," says Huang who is in her third year of PhD and currently studying an interdisciplinary course on international cooperation in climate change and international economy with Lu.

"He helps us quantify the impact of the international community's climate fund for carbon emission on developing countries," she says.

Lu's readiness to help his students and easygoing manner have also endeared him to his students.

"We can also make jokes around him during our interactions," Huang says.

Lu says the global carbon trade market, carbon pricing and taxes will all exert influence on China, so he would like to do his part for the country's preparations for participating in global carbon exchanges in the future. He is confident about China realizing its goals of stabilizing carbon emissions by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2060. "We will surely give fully play to new energy development and traditional energy desulfurization."

Speaking about his future goals, Lu says he hopes to better see the big picture of China's economy and do something for it. "Hopefully, I can piece more nuts and bolts together and bring in positive changes."