Showcasing Innovative Climate Solutions from China and the Hong Kong SAR to the World at the COP29 China Pavilion
On November 14, 2024, at the China Pavilion of the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29), the World Institute of Sustainable Development Planners (WISDP), in collaboration with the China Environment Publishing Group and Sun Yat-sen University, hosted a thematic side event titled “Tell the Story of China’s Response to Climate Change and Create New Advantages in Addressing Climate Change with New Quality Productivity”. The side event was co-organised by the Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development (HiESD), Environmental Protection (Magazine), and the Institute of Carbon Neutrality and Green Development at Sun Yat-sen University, with the support of ANTA Sports Products Limited.
Participants from various sectors, including government, enterprises, research institutions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and media, gathered to discuss new pathways and Chinese wisdom in addressing climate change. Hong Kong representatives shared progress and breakthroughs in green innovation, green building, and green standards on the international platform.
Opening Remarks：Demonstrating China’s resolve to address climate change
Liu Feng, director of the External Exchange and Cooperation Department of the Climate Change Response Department of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment; Dong Rulei, Deputy Director of the News Office of the Department of Propaganda and Education, Ministry of Ecology and Environment; and He Jiazheng, Member of the Party Committee and Chief Editor of China Environment Publishing Group have delivered speeches respectively.
Liu Feng stated that China considers addressing climate change a crucial part of its national strategy and is committed to promoting green and low-carbon development. He pointed out that over the past decade, more than half of China’s new electricity generation capacity has come from clean energy sources, and the country has established the world’s largest carbon emissions trading market. China has also collaborated on green energy projects with multiple countries and regions. He emphasized that the development of new quality productivity offers fresh opportunities and momentum for tackling climate change. China is adopting a more open approach to strengthen international cooperation and exchange, and to drive the research and application of green low-carbon technologies.
Dong Rulei, Deputy Director of the News Office of the Department of Propaganda and Education, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, stated that as a responsible major country, China has always attached great importance to addressing climate change and has actively promoted green transformation of its industrial structure, achieving significant results. He shared China’s efforts and achievements in promoting green and low-carbon development, the utilization of renewable energy, and the protection and restoration of ecosystems. At the same time, China has actively participated in global climate governance, promoting the establishment of a fair, reasonable, and win-win global climate governance system and is willing to share experience and technology with other countries to jointly address the challenges of climate change. Deputy Director Dong emphasized that new quality productivity represents the new direction of future economic development and can provide new solutions and momentum for addressing climate change. He called on all countries to work together to explore new ideas, new paths, and new initiatives to address climate change.
He Jiazheng, Member of the Party Committee and Chief Editor of the China Environmental Publishing Group, pointed out that the dissemination and innovation of knowledge are the core driving forces of social progress. Especially in addressing the global challenge of climate change, the publishing industry should act as a bridge between scientific research and practice, as well as between domestic and international communication. He stated that the China Environmental Publishing Group, as a pioneer in the dissemination of ecological civilization and green low-carbon technologies, is dedicated to the mission of publishing on climate change. In recent years, it has produced a series of quality books focused on carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets, achieving notable results in both academic research and popular science fields. At the same time, the Group has actively expanded international cooperation, successfully exporting numerous book works, thereby promoting global knowledge sharing and exchange, and enhancing China’s international reputation and influence. Moving forward, the Group will continue to leverage its strengths through book publishing, digital dissemination, and ecological cultural activities, contributing more to global climate governance.
Keynote Speeches：Sharing China’s Wisdom and Solutions for Addressing Climate Change
During the keynote speech session, the 4 speakers shared China’s wisdom and solutions for addressing climate change.
Mohan Munasinghe, Co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, recipient of the 2021 Blue Planet Prize, and former Vice Chair of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), delivered a keynote speech via video titled “Accelerating the achievement of the SDGs through promoting and implementing low-carbon transition transformation solutions”. He reflected on his 50-year friendship with China, highly praised China’s remarkable achievements in Balancing Inclusive Green Growth (BIGG) transformation, and emphasized the potential of China and Hong Kong in leading sustainable and low-carbon development. He also called for strengthened global cooperation to jointly address the challenges of climate change.
Ho Chi-shing, General Manager of the Building Environmental Assessment Methods (BEAM) Society Limited, shared innovative measures and significant achievements in promoting carbon neutrality goals in Hong Kong, in his speech titled “Promoting net zero target with innovation and technologies”. He detailed how Hong Kong reduces carbon emissions in the building sector through technologies such as green buildings, renewable energy, and energy storage systems. He also shared the accomplishments and experiences of Hong Kong in green building practices and emphasized the critical role of the Green Building Assessment Methods (BEAM Plus) in promoting green buildings, and how BEAM Plus (Global), a new green building assessment tool, can be flexibly applied in different countries and regions, to promote green buildings and carbon neutrality.
Professor Wang Peng, Deputy Director of the Academic Committee of Division of Engineering at Sun Yat-sen University, delivered a keynote speech titled “Carbon neutrality target promotes societal green transition”. He conducted an in-depth academic analysis of how the Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Goals drive comprehensive green transformation in society. He emphasized that the Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Goals are not only a solemn commitment to the international community but also a strategic choice for promoting coordinated development in China’s economy, society, and environment. By implementing the Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Goals, it is possible to optimize and upgrade the economic structure, improve the quality of the ecological environment, and enhance international competitiveness. Professor Wang also put forward several suggestions, including policy guidance, corporate transformation, public participation, and technological innovation.
Lin Xiaofei, Vice-President ANTA Sports Products Limited, General Manager of ANTA Guanjun, shared the company’s practices and achievements in sustainable development. She introduced Anta Group’s “New Decade Development Strategy” and the “1+3+5” sustainable development strategic goals, and elaborated on the specific measures the group has taken to strengthen responsible operations, enhance climate resilience, and fulfill social responsibilities. Lin stated that ANTA Group will continue to adhere to the strategy of “single focus, multi-brand, and globalization” to promote the sustainable development of the industry.
Report Release：Showcasing Global Progress in Carbon Neutrality and Technological Innovations.
During the conference, two important reports were also released, with Ting Kwok To, Chief Operating Officer of the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA), serving as the host for this segment.
Professor Chen Shaoqing and Dr. Mou Qinghua, from the Institute of Carbon Neutrality and Green Development at Sun Yat-sen University jointly released the research report “Carbon Neutrality Progress of Global Cities 2024”. This report comprehensively reviews and deeply assesses the progress of major global cities in carbon neutrality, revealing their efforts and achievements in addressing climate change. It also provides valuable references for planning future urban carbon neutrality pathways.
Professor Karen Cheung, President of the World Institute of Sustainable Development Planners (WISDP) and Director of the Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development (HiESD); and Chen Szewa Americana, Youth Affairs Coordinator of the UNESCO Hong Kong Association (UHKA), jointly released the “Sustainable Development Innovation & Technology Solutions Report”. This report demonstrated how HiESD’s world’s first Sustainable Development Planning solution provides professional training, ESG report generation platform and third-party verification for different industries and professionals, thereby empowering businesses and green talents to promote global sustainable development with new quality productivity.
In addition to well-known companies utilizing innovative technology to facilitate green development, the cross-disciplinary innovation capabilities of young professionals can also open up more possibilities for collaboration in Hong Kong’s green finance, green building, green transportation, green energy, and various industries.
Roundtable Discussion: Exploring the Application of Technological Innovation in Green and Low-Carbon Development
The roundtable discussion session was moderated by Professor Wang Liyan from Guanghua School of Management of Peking University, and Chair Professor of the Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development.
Experts and scholars including Hu Tao, Director of Lake Stone Sustainable Development Research Institute; Ting Kwok To, Chief Operating Officer of the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency (HKQAA); Men Jing, Full Professor of University College London; and Song Junnian, Professor of School of New Energy and Environment at Jilin University, engaged in an in-depth discussion on the topic “Promoting Green and Low-Carbon Development through Technological Innovation”. They explored issues such as the development status of China’s low-carbon technologies, the most promising green technologies, and the future prospects of green energy transition.
Mr Ting Kwok To shared the latest progress and innovations of the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency in green standards, and emphasized that quality assurance can enhance the credibility of green projects and investor confidence, which is cruicial for the green finance development to facilitate the development of new quality productivity.
The on-site exhibition featured the “Carbon Literacy and Low Carbon Lifestyle Bilingual Textbook (Simplified Chinese Edition)” at the China Pavilion.
The China Environmental Publishing Group prominently showcased its carefully curated climate booklist, which includes the “Carbon Literacy and Low Carbon Lifestyle Bilingual Textbook (Simplified Chinese Edition)” released in collaboration with HiESD in 2022.
Side Event Summary: Building Consensus, Shaping the Future
This side event not only showcased China’s resolve and actions in addressing climate change but also served as an important platform for promoting global climate governance cooperation. Through in-depth exchanges and discussions, representatives from various sides enhanced their consensus, expanded their areas of cooperation, and injected new momentum and vitality into the joint efforts to tackle global climate change challenges.
Guests of the Side Event
Dr. Ma Jun, Chairman and President of Hong Kong Green Finance Association, Co-Chairman of the G20 Sustainable Finance Study Group (right)
Mr. Yan Shidong, Director of the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (Left)
Acknowledgement: the sustainability solutions from the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency, the Building Environmental Assessment Methods (BEAM) Society Limited, and WTL International Limited were showcased in the handbook to appreciate their support to the side event.
More details: https://hiesd.org/wp/cop29/ (HiESD COP29 Webpage)
https://wisdp.org/wp/cop29-hk-wisdp/ (WISDP COP29 Webpage)