The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, participated in the U.S.-China Subnational Climate Leaders Dialogue in Azerbaijan yesterday (November 14, Azerbaijan time) and exchanged views with organisations from Hong Kong attending the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).
The U.S.-China Subnational Climate Leaders Dialogue was hosted by the California-China Climate Institute. It brought together subnational climate leaders from the United States and China to share the latest progress, achievements, and challenges of various places in climate action, and to promote stronger climate action. The Special Envoy for Climate Change of China, Mr Liu Zhenmin, delivered an opening speech at the Dialogue yesterday.
In the City Climate Action: Climate Adaptation and Resilience panel discussion, Mr Tse introduced the carbon reduction strategies and measures of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, including net-zero electricity generation, energy saving and green building, green transport, waste reduction. He also shared the progress and achievements of the measures.
In his speech, Mr Tse mentioned that in order to combat climate change effectively, apart from implementing ambitious decarbonisation strategies, it is also necessary to adopt a comprehensive strategy on climate change adaptation and resilience. In the face of more frequent extreme weather events, the Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR Government chairs a cross-departmental steering committee to co-ordinate and implement the work on combating climate change. Various government departments have formulated and implemented a number of enhanced measures to cope with the serious threats that may be posed to Hong Kong by extreme weather.
Mr Tse yesterday also had a tea gathering with organisations, industry practitioners and young people from Hong Kong attending the COP29. At the tea gathering, he said he was pleased that the number of organisations and participants from Hong Kong had doubled compared to last year. He believed that carbon neutrality is a global goal and the world must face low-carbon and green transformation in the future. Hong Kong has huge support from the motherland's green and low-carbon technologies and products; global connectivity; advantages in high quality professional services and rule of law system as an international financial centre. Different sectors and industries can strengthen collaboration with the Government to seize the enormous opportunities brought about by the low-carbon and green transformation.
Mr Tse will depart for Hong Kong today (November 15, Azerbaijan time) and will arrive in Hong Kong tomorrow (November 16).
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