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ECC commends green campuses (with photos)
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The following is issued on behalf of the Environmental Campaign Committee:

     The Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC) today (February 3) held an online award presentation ceremony for winning schools under the 18th Hong Kong Green School Award (HKGSA) programme to recognise their efforts in promoting environmental education and practising the habit of "use less, waste less". This year, 72 schools received the Green School Award, while 39 schools won the NO Disposables Campus Award (see Annex for the list of awardees).

     Speaking at the award presentation ceremony, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, said that the Chief Executive had announced in the 2020 Policy Address that Hong Kong would strive to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. The Government strives towards the goal of carbon neutrality and actively pursues measures to reduce carbon emissions. He called on the public to join hands in combating climate change and developing low-carbon lifestyles, including energy saving and waste reduction and recycling. For example, schools are encouraged to continue promoting the "use less, waste less" culture to achieve the "save more, recycle more" goal, and spread green messages to families and the community.

     The ECC Chairman, Mr Simon Wong Kit-lung, commended the winning schools for their dedication in advocating environmental education while facing COVID-19 for over a year. Apart from incorporating environmental elements into their curriculums, the schools had also organised various learning activities through an online platform to enhance students' environmental knowledge, address environmental problems, practise environmental protection through actions, and instil amongst students a sense of responsibility for the environment while studying at home.

     For the primary and secondary school categories of the HKGSA, the schools underwent assessments according to four criteria, namely Environmental Policy and Campus Environment, Environmental Management Measures, Environmental Education Plan and Implementation, and Environmental Education Effectiveness. After verification of the scores, schools meeting the benchmark levels of the relevant assessment criteria were presented with the Green School Gold, Silver or Bronze Award. From 216 entries this year, 15 primary and 13 secondary schools received the Gold Award, three primary and three secondary schools received the Silver Award, and 17 primary and nine secondary schools received the Bronze Award. Schools receiving the title of Hong Kong Green School were invited to compete in the schools' sector of the 2020 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence.

     In the pre-school category, assessments were made according to four criteria, namely Environmental Infrastructure, Environmental Management, Environmental Education, and Parents' Participation in Environmental Activities. This year, 12 pre-schools out of 45 entries received an award for their outstanding performance and won cash prizes of $5,000 for organising environmental education activities.

     Launched in 2000, the HKGSA has attracted the participation of more than 900 schools. The scheme, sponsored by the Environment and Conservation Fund, aims to encourage schools to formulate an environmental policy and implement an environmental management plan. The scheme also aims to enhance environmental awareness, help develop an environment-friendly attitude and promote green practices among school managers, teachers, non-teaching staff, students and their families. The last HKGSA was successfully concluded in the 2019/20 school year. Starting from the 2020/21 school year, the HKGSA has been subsumed under another ECC signature award scheme, namely the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE) - Schools Sector. All pre-schools, primary schools and secondary schools are eligible to participate in the HKAEE.

     For details about the HKGSA, please visit the ECC's Schools Go Green website at school.ecc.org.hk.

     The 18th HKGSA online award presentation ceremony was held at the Auditorium of the Business Environment Council today. In addition to Mr Wong Kam-sing and Mr Simon Wong Kit-lung, other officiating guests were the Convenor of the ECC Education Working Group, Ms Sylvia Chan, and the Chairman of the HKGSA Final Adjudicating Panel for Pre-school Category, Mr Shiu Wai-lok. School representatives and guests were invited to join the live streaming across YouTube, Facebook and the dedicated website of the Award Presentation of the 18th HKGSA to share the joy and environmental achievements with the winning schools.
 
Ends/Wednesday, February 3, 2021
Issued at HKT 20:20
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