[Webinar] Target-setting for Long-term Decarbonisation: A Practical Challenge for Businesses in Hong Kong

Event Date
02 Aug 2021
Event Time
3:00 pm - 4:10 pm
Venue
Online
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Target-setting is a critical step to drive decarbonisation actions and behavioural change. In the business context, it allows companies to understand their emission sources and embed carbon reduction goals into their business strategies. The rise of the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has pushed for a more comprehensive target-setting process which includes the consideration of climate science and Scope 3 emissions.  

SMEs and other companies looking to start their decarbonisation journey face the challenge of enhancing their climate change knowledge and identifying a starting point. What can companies do to kickstart their target-setting process? For those looking to take a step further, what should they consider when setting a science-based target?

BEC Low Carbon Charter aims to encourage businesses in Hong Kong to set and achieve decarbonisation targets. Since its official launch in March 2019, the Charter has successfully mobilised 100 companies from all sectors to commit to target-setting and contribute to the low-carbon transition in Hong Kong. Join us at this webinar to hear insights from academics and practitioners on the relevance of climate change to business and their experiences on target-(re)setting.

 

Speakers *in order of appearance

Prof Johnny Chan
Chair Professor, Atmospheric Science, City University of Hong Kong

Prof Chan is currently Chair Professor of Atmospheric Science and the Director of the Guy Carpenter Asia-Pacific Climate Impact Centre at City University of Hong Kong. He is also one of the Co-Directors of the Asian Network on Climate Science and Technology.
 
Prof Chan has published close to 250 SCI journal articles in the areas of typhoons, monsoons and climate change. He is currently a Review Editor of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Report No. 6 and a member of the Scientific Advisory Panel of the Hong Kong Observatory.  He was the Chair of the Tropical Cyclone Panel of the World Meteorological Organization Tropical Meteorology Research Working Group during 2013-18. He is an Honorary Fellow of the UK Energy Institute and a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society.

 

 

Ms Violet Law
Officer – Policy & Research, Business Environment Council

Ms Violet Law is currently Officer – Policy & Research at Business Environment Council (BEC). She is responsible for BEC’s research, advocacy and business collaboration work on various climate and energy policy topics including climate governance, green transportation and building energy efficiency. She is particularly interested to work at the engineering-policy interface, with previous research experiences on zero emission vehicles uptake, green hydrogen and green steel production. She provides secretariat support to BEC’s Climate Change Business Forum Advisory Group and the BEC Low Carbon Charter. She holds a Master of Public Policy (Environment and Public Policy specialisation) from The Australian National University, and a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Energy Science and Engineering from City University of Hong Kong.

 

 

Ms Julie Wong 
Assistant General Manager – Sustainability, NWS Holdings Limited

Julie is the Assistant General Manager, Sustainability of NWS Holdings, a conglomerate with core businesses of toll roads, commercial aircraft leasing, construction and insurance, while the strategic portfolio spans sectors from logistics to facilities management.  She is responsible for driving and implementing sustainability for the company.

Julie is an experienced sustainability professional who specializes in Corporate Sustainability Strategy and implementation, from both corporate as well as consultancy perspectives. Prior to joining NWS Holdings, she was a management consultant, providing advisory services for listed companies in Hong Kong on corporate sustainability strategies development, ESG reporting, assurance and due diligence, with sectoral experience ranging from manufacturing to retailing, property development and management, hospitality, aviation and etc.

Julie is a BEAM Pro and LEED AP, and an IRCA Environmental Lead Auditor. She holds a Master degree in Energy and Environmental Studies from Boston University, Massachusetts, United States and a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

 

 

 

Mr Jasper Hilkhuijsen 
Senior Urban Designer, Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd

Trained as both architect and urban designer and with over 10 years of experience, Jasper has worked on a wide range of projects in both Europe and Asia. His work always focusses on delivering greater outcomes to clients, communities, and the planet. He is currently responsible for driving the Sustainable Development agenda in the East Asia Region of Arup.

 

 

Moderator

Mr Simon Ng
Director – Policy & Research, Business Environment Council

Mr Simon Ng is Director – Policy & Research of Business Environment Council. He is responsible for BEC’s work on policy advocacy, thought leadership development, and collaborative research on various environmental issues that BEC focuses on. Trained as a geographer, Mr Ng is known for his ground-breaking work on ship emissions inventory in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta in which his collaboration with the shipping industry led to the launch of the Fair Winds Charter. He is also well regarded for his research and engagement work on walkability.
 
Mr Ng has over 20 years of experience in academic/policy research, project management and stakeholder's engagement. Before joining BEC, he was Chief Research Officer of a leading independent public policy think tank and was a visiting scholar of a top university in Hong Kong.
 
Mr Ng is also a member of many professional bodies of transport & logistics and environmental management. Internationally, Mr Ng is an Expert Member of the UNCRD Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport Forum in Asia since 2006.

 

Programme

Time

Activity

3:00 – 3:05pm     

Welcoming remarks and introduction to BEC Low Carbon Charter

Mr Simon Ng, Director – Policy & Research, Business Environment Council

3:05 – 3:15pm

Climate Change and its implications to businesses in Hong Kong

Sharing with the latest climate science and its implications to business and the wider community in Hong Kong.

Prof Johnny Chan, Chair Professor, Atmospheric Science, City University of Hong Kong

3:15 – 3:25pm

How to set and achieve decarbonisation targets

Referencing to the two BEC Executive Briefings published in 2019 and discuss steps for setting decarbonisation targets.

Ms Violet Law, Officer – Policy & Research, Business Environment Council

3:25 – 3:35pm

Signatory sharing #1 on target-setting

Ms Julie Wong, Assistant General Manager, Sustainability NWS Holdings Limited

3:35 – 3:45pm

Signatory sharing #2 on target-setting

Mr Jasper Hilkhuijsen, Senior Urban Designer, Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd

3:45 – 4:10pm

Panel Discussion and Q&A

Mr Simon Ng, Director – Policy & Research, Business Environment Council (Moderator)

Prof Johnny Chan, Chair Professor, Atmospheric Science, City University of Hong Kong

Ms Violet Law, Officer – Policy & Research, Business Environment Council

Ms Julie Wong, Assistant General Manager, Sustainability NWS Holdings Limited

Mr Jasper Hilkhuijsen, Senior Urban Designer, Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Ltd

 

Supporting Organisations

                          
     

 

Technical Partner