AFTER BECOMING GLOBAL LEADER of the transition to clean energy, China is reaching out to help neighbors achieve the same, it was revealed yesterday.
And Hong Kong is playing a key part, having already sent expert teams of environmental engineers to other countries, said participants at the ‘Pathways to a Sustainable Future’ forum in Hong Kong yesterday.
Even better, the city will use its skill with money to provide finance to countries working to achieve sustainability, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu told the forum.
The plans for Hong Kong and Mainland China to help other nations in Asia make the transition to clean energy were revealed at the forum held in Wan Chai yesterday.
Hong Kong environmental engineers had made deals with various nations to “bring their ideas and knowledge to these countries,” said the city’s environmental chief Dr Samuel Chui. For example, Hong Kong flew a team of specialists, including government environmentalists, drainage experts and agriculturalists, to Sri Lanka, he said. A strong relationship led to return invitations.
“The last time when we visited them, a few months ago, we also brought some air quality modelling and water quality modelling,” he said. “We developed the systems for them so that they can move on.”
Dr Chui said the Hong Kong engineers were getting a great response. “The countries, they love it, and they hope that we can continue to help them,” he said.
Poorer nations don’t need to worry about money, because favorable financial arrangements are made. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu told the forum that the city will continue its work on its green bond market, and, “we will also develop Hong Kong into the go-to sustainable financing platform of Asia and beyond”.
The Hong Kong leader has travelled widely and made a large number of international agreements, including with countries in West Asia/ the Middle East.
CHINA NOW WORLD LEADER
The Chinese are now leading the world’s transition to clean energy across the board, specialists said yesterday. While their prime position in electric vehicles is well known, they are also far ahead in implementation of wind power, solar power, clean energy storage, offshore power and so on.
“China is also a leader in reforestation, in battery production, in investment in clean energy R&D, in greening deserts, and so on,” said Professor Herman Hu Shao-ming, chairman of Friday Culture, which co-organized the forum with the Hong Kong Coalition, and Ta Kung Wen Wei Media.
“In October, the International Energy Agency released a report that said China was on target to add more renewable energy capacity in the next six years than all of this planet’s 200 other countries combined,” Professor Hu said.
The forum was well-supported with representatives from government, business and academia, including senior representatives from China’s Liaison Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
There were a number of interesting revelations from specialist speakers and panelists during the event, and Fridayeveryday will be covering them shortly.
Images from fridayeveryday and the Pathways to a Sustainable Future forum.