SILC Nodes – the newsletter of the STL Sustainability Innovation & Law Circle February 2025

In the latest episode of ‘Legal Frontiers’, STL faculty members Gilad Abiri and Stephen Minas discuss how the release of Chinese company DeepSeek’s R1 model has changed the global debate over artificial intelligence, including over costs of development, the opportunities and regulatory challenges of open-source artificial intelligence, and competition between major economic powers:

In an article for ‘Eureka Street:, STL Professor Stephen Minas considers what the DeepSeek developments mean for the future of AI in the Global South. The creation of high-performance AI models using less resources and a relatively open-source approach suggests that barriers to developing countries harnessing AI are lower than previously assumed. However, capacity-building will be vital to enable poorer nations to get to grips with the opportunities, challenges and risks of AI:

https://www.eurekastreet.com.au/could-deepseek-be-a-gift-to-the-developing-world

The article was quoted in the ‘South China Morning Post’ in the context of debate over DeepSeek’s implications for China’s ‘soft power’:

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3299018/deepseek-may-give-china-soft-power-edge-its-looking-particularly-global-south

Professor Minas has written for ‘Modern Diplomacy’ on the legal and practical challenges resulting from the US President’s executive orders withdrawing from the World Health Organization and the Paris Agreement:

https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2025/01/27/trump-withdrawals-need-not-derail-global-cooperation/

Mutual recognition of carbon labels between Guangdong and Hong Kong

Guangdong is the first province to issue a provincial carbon label in the country and has achieved the first batch of Guangdong – Hong Kong carbon label mutual recognition:

广东先行先试，率先在全国发布首个省级碳标签并积极推动大湾区碳标签规则衔接机制对接，成功实现首批产品碳标签的粤港互认。

https://gdee.gd.gov.cn/hbxw/content/post_4661947.html

Shenzhen green finance action plan

Shenzhen's financial and environmental departments jointly issued a green finance action plan for the banking and insurance sectors.

深圳金融监管局联合深圳市地方金融管理局、深圳市生态环境局、深圳市规划和自然资源局印发 2025 年 1 号文《关于深圳银行业保险业做好绿色金融大文章的行动方案》。

https://m.sohu.com/a/859068398_825922/

Guangzhou issues new green finance guidance

The Guangzhou Municipal Party Committee Financial Office issued "Ten Green Finance Measures" to boost green finance reform and support low - carbon growth. 广州市委金融委员会办公室印发《关于做好绿色金融大文章支持广州绿色低碳发展的若干措施》，即 “绿色金融十条”。从推动绿色金融改革创新提质升级、加强绿色金融政策支持和制度保障等十个方面明确了广州市绿色金融发展的重要任务。

https://news.qq.com/rain/a/20250208A08AO300

New agreement for green data development

Shaoguan Government and Dongyangguang signed a cooperation deal to work on AI, data center liquid cooling and supercapacitors. Dongyangguang will build bases in Shaoguan.

韶关市人民政府与东阳光举行战略合作框架协议签约仪式，将围绕 AI 产业、数据中心液冷全面解决方案、超级电容等领域展开深度合作，东阳光将在韶关建设数据中心液冷设备制造基地和超级电容生产研发基地。

https://finance.sina.cn/2025-02-15/detail-inekqqcw5964284.d.html

Carbon emission standards for herbal tea approved

The Guangdong Energy Conservation Association approved two herbal tea-related group standards for carbon footprint and green design, promoting industry energy conservation.

广东省节能减排标准化促进会批准广州王老吉大健康产业有限公司提出的《温室气体产品碳足迹量化方法与要求凉茶植物饮料》《绿色设计产品评价技术规范凉茶植物饮料》2项团体标准立项，有助于规范凉茶植物饮料行业的碳足迹量化和绿色设计评价，推动该领域节能减排。

http://down.foodmate.net/wap/index.php?itemid=33290&moduleid=25