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SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil (with photos)
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     ​The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, attended the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, on November 11 (Belém time). He met with the Chinese delegation and delivered a speech at the China Pavilion's side event.
 
     In the morning, Mr Tse, together with the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying, and the Commissioner for Climate Change of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, Mr Arthur Lee, met with the head of the Chinese delegation, Mr Li Gao, to exchange views on the work of the country and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on climate change actions and green transition.
      
      In the afternoon, Mr Tse attended the China Pavilion's side event, guided by the Department of Climate Change of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) and cohosted by the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the HKSAR Government, Friends of the Earth (HK) and the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council. The side event, titled Converging Innovation in Hong Kong: Forging a Resilient City and a Global Green Finance Hub, focused on exploring Hong Kong's role, achievements, and strategies in addressing climate change. Key discussion areas include climate action, energy transition, green and sustainable finance, climate resilience enhancement, and strengthening regional and international co-operation frameworks.
      
     In his opening speech, Mr Tse said that, to tackle climate change, Hong Kong stopped building coal-fired power plants in 1997 and reached its carbon peak in 2014. Greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by about a quarter now, compared to the peak in 2014. The per-capita greenhouse gas emissions fell nearly 30 per cent to below 4.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is about a quarter of that of the United States and 60 per cent of the European Union.
      
     Mr Tse added that Hong Kong targets to reduce Hong Kong's emissions by half before 2035, and achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. He shared that the HKSAR Government has put forward a four-pronged strategy in the Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050: namely net-zero electricity supply, energy saving and green buildings, green transport, and zero waste landfilling. Related energy measures include stopping the use of coal for power generation by 2035, increasing the share of zero carbon electricity supply to over 60 per cent, and publishing the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong last year to build a framework environment to the local development of hydrogen in a prudent and orderly manner.
      
      He said that Hong Kong is also progressing well in promoting green transport. Out of 10 newly registered private cars, seven are now electric. A public charging network based on super-fast charging technologies is being developed and an electric vehicle battery recycling facility will be put into operation next year.
      
     On waste-to-energy, the first large-scale waste-to-energy facility is coming into operation this month and the second one is being tendered for completion by 2030. Hong Kong is also working with the Chinese Mainland to develop a production base for sustainable aviation fuel in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay area as well as gearing up to develop Hong Kong into a green maritime fuel bunkering and trading centre.
      
      Regarding green finance, Mr Tse stated that as an international financial centre and sustainable finance hub in Asia, Hong Kong can help channel international capital to support the green transition. He illustrated, with an example, that as of October 2025, the HKSAR Government has issued green bonds totalling an equivalent of about US$31 billion. Furthermore, the Hong Kong Sustainability Disclosure Standards was implemented to fully align with the global baseline set by the International Sustainability Standards Board.
      
     Mr Tse expressed that international co-operation is critical for tackling the challenge of climate change. "The low carbon green transition is a difficult journey, and yet it has opened up many new collaboration opportunities. Hong Kong looks forward to working hand in hand with all of you to build a climate resilient and sustainable future for our next generations," said Mr Tse.
      
     Other guest speakers at the event included the President of the BRI International Green Development Coalition and former Vice Minister of the MEE, Mr Zhao Yingmin; the Chairman of the Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development, Dr Lam Ching-choi; the Secretary General of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Mr Gino Van Begin; and Vice-Chairperson of Friends of the Earth (HK) Ms Ophelia Lin.
      
     Mr Poon and Mr Lee also spoke at the roundtable forum of the side event to exchange views with other speakers on accelerating energy transition and achieving carbon neutrality. Dr Lam spoke at another forum session to exchange views with other speakers on the topic of Building Climate-Resilient Cities: Managing Climate and Health Risks.
 
Ends/Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Issued at HKT 12:15
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The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan (second right); the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying (first right); and the Commissioner for Climate Change of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, Mr Arthur Lee (third right) attended the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém, Brazil, on November 11 (Belém time) and met with the head of the Chinese delegation, Mr Li Gao (second left).
The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, attended the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém, Brazil, on November 11 (Belém time). Photo shows Mr Tse delivering an opening speech at the China Pavilion's side event titled "Converging Innovation in Hong Kong: Forging a Resilient City and a Global Green Finance Hub".
The Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Friends of the Earth (HK) and the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council co-hosted the China Pavilion's side event on November 11 (Belém time) at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém, Brazil. Photo shows the President of the BRI International Green Development Coalition and former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Mr Zhao Yingmin, delivering a keynote speech at the event.
The Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Friends of the Earth (HK) and the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council co-hosted the China Pavilion's side event on November 11 (Belém time) at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém, Brazil. Photo shows the Secretary General of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Mr Gino Van Begin, delivering a keynote speech at the event.
The Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Friends of the Earth (HK) and the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council co-hosted the China Pavilion's side event on November 11 (Belém time) at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém, Brazil. Photo shows the Chairman of the Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development, Dr Lam Ching-choi, delivering a keynote speech at the event.
The Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Friends of the Earth (HK) and the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council co-hosted the China Pavilion's side event on November 11 (Belém time) at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém, Brazil. Photo shows Vice-Chairperson of Friends of the Earth (HK) Ms Ophelia Lin delivering a keynote speech at the event.
The Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Friends of the Earth (HK) and the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council co-hosted the China Pavilion's side event on November 11 (Belém time) at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém, Brazil. The Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying (centre), and the Commissioner for Climate Change of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, Mr Arthur Lee (second left), spoke at a roundtable forum of the side event to exchange views with other speakers on accelerating energy transition and achieving carbon neutrality.
The Environment and Ecology Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Friends of the Earth (HK) and the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council co-hosted the China Pavilion's side event on November 11 (Belém time) at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Belém, Brazil. The Chairman of the Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development, Dr Lam Ching-choi (first right), spoke at a roundtable forum of the side event to exchange views with other speakers on the topic "Building Climate-Resilient Cities: Managing Climate and Health Risks".