Business Environment Council, Civic Exchange and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology will be holding a forum to discuss the outcome of COP25.
The context for COP25 included:
- The IPCC's special reports on 1.5°C, Land and Oceans. - See the briefing the IPCC gave in Hong Kong this October
- Tense geopolitics with USA starting its formal withdrawal fromthe Paris Agreement, increased deforestation in Brazil and continued investments in coal mining and coal fired power stations.
- Technological progress on renewable energy and the potential hydrogen economy.
COP25 failed to finalise the Paris Rulebook. This must now be done next year and risks obstructing country commitments to the reduced emissions science advises are essential.
On the other hand, "side events" at the COP were extensive and showed the substantive work being done to meet the climate change challenge. Examples:
- The EU’s Green Deal to be carbon neutral by 2050
- The Energy Transitions Commission’s detailed sectoral analysis on carbon neutrality
- The UNPRI’s study on the "Inevitable Policy Response" to the threat of severe climate change
The briefing will review the state of the UN negotiations, highlights from the side events and prospects for 2020 when Hong Kong must provide, via Beijing, its 2050 decarbonise plan.
SPEAKERS & MODERATORS
(by last name in alphabetical order)
- Mr Tim Chan, Senior Analyst, ESG Research and Integration, Manulife Investment Management
- Mr Eric Chong, Deputy Chairman, Business Environment Council / President & CEO, Siemens Hong Kong & Macao
- Mr Martin Cresswell, Technical Director, Hong Kong Shipowners Association
- Dr Wee Kean Fong, Deputy China Country Director, WRI Beijing
- Mr David Foster, Vice Consul for Economic Diplomacy, the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong
- Mr J. Robert Gibson, Fellow of Civic Exchange and Adjunct Professor of HKUST
- Prof Cara Horowitz, Co-Executive Director, the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, UCLA
- Mr Lawrence Iu, Associate Researcher, Civic Exchange
- Mr Joseph Law, Senior Director, Planning and Development, CLP Power Hong Kong Limited
- Mr Ray Leung, Senior Environmental Protection Officer, (Cross-Boundary & International)5, Environmental Protection Department, HKSAR Government
- Mr Simon Ng, Director – Policy & Research, Business Environment Council
More details about Speakers and Programme.
DETAILS & REGISTRATION
| Date | 17 January 2020 (Friday) |
| Time | 9:00a.m. – 12:30p.m. (Reception will start at 8:30a.m. with coffee / tea) |
| Venue | BEC Auditorium |
| Address | G/F, 77 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong (view map) |
| Registration |
This event is free of charge but registration is needed. |
For enquiries, please contact Ms Rae Leung, Institute for the Environment, HKUST at raeleung@ust.hk.
Notes:
- Registration are subject to final confirmations from BEC.
- Seats are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis
- BEC reserves the right not to accept any registration, at its sole discretion and without the need to give explanations.
- By participating in BEC’s event, all participants release the rights for BEC to take and share photos, videos and talking points from discussions during the event for the sole purpose of general event marketing and publicity on BEC’s social media, website, and other appropriate material in the future.
