The Hong Kong Green Tech Summit, co-organized by the HKUST Green Finance Research Project in partnership with industry pioneers Go Impact and MioTech, marked an impactful cross-sector collaboration among leaders in academia, technology, and sustainable finance. The Summit brought together over 50 expert speakers from public and private sectors, along with 350 participants across diverse fields.
The two-day event commenced with opening remarks by Mr. Christopher HUI (left photo), Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Hong Kong SAR Government. He highlighted five key strategies to showcase Hong Kong’s leadership in the green transition: the growth of green capital, recognition of sustainability standards, empowerment in carbon trading, encouragement of green financing, and nurturing green technology. He called for innovative solutions and underlined the pivotal role of green fintech in the transition.
On behalf of HKUST, Prof. Jimmy FUNG (left photo, first left), Associate Provost (Teaching & Learning) and Chair Professor of the Division of Environment and Sustainability, delivered a welcome address with Ms. Helene LI (left photo, middle), Co-Founder and CEO of GoImpact Capital Partners, and Mr. Jason TU (left photo, first right), Founder and CEO of MioTech. The Summit featured a keynote speech by Prof. SUN Dong (right photo), Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the Hong Kong SAR Government. He reinforced Hong Kong’s commitment to becoming an international innovation and technology hub and positioning green tech as a vital driver for green transformation.
HKUST faculty were invited to share their valuable perspectives in several panels. They included:
(Left photo) Prof. Alexis LAU, Director of the Institute for the Environment, presented insights on sustainable economic transformation and strategies for achieving a greener future at the panel, “Towards a Greener Economy - the Why and How”. (Right photo) Prof. Allen HUANG, (second from left) Associate Dean (UG Programs) of HKUST Business School, addressed the significance in bridging the gap between sustainability talent and education. He highlighted HKUST’s effort in cultivating multi-disciplinary talent for sustainable and green finance at the panel, “Bridging the Missing Links - Building Green Talent & Community”.
(Left photo) Prof. QI Ye (middle), Acting Dean of Society Hub and Chair Professor of the Carbon Neutrality and Climate Change Thrust of HKUST (GZ), discussed the Greater Bay Area’s potential as a global hub for green innovation. He emphasized the worldwide implications of advancements in green technology at the panel, “Green & Tech from GBA to the World”. Prof. Jimmy FUNG (right photo) and Prof. SHUN Chi Ming (middle photo), former Director of the Hong Kong Observatory and Adjunct Professor of the Division of Environment and Sustainability, examined the urgent challenges posed by extreme weather and proposed actionable solutions to enhance resilience at the panel, “Battling Extreme Weather - Urgency and Solutions”.
The event also showcased several innovative green technology projects demonstrated by dedicated HKUST research teams. They included:
Hong Kong Climate Policy Uncertainty Index - quantitatively gauges the evolution of domestic climate policy uncertainty to enhance understanding of climate-related decision-making - demonstrated by Kamila ABDRASSILOVA, Research Assistant of the Center for Business and Social Analytics.
Eco-Brix – showcases cementless eco-bricks derived from municipal solid wastes - demonstrated by researchers from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (from left) QIN Chuhao, SO Pui San, and LIN Boxuan.
HKUST-FYBB#1 Satellite - Hong Kong’s first university-led satellite that contributes to building a satellite constellation and establishing a comprehensive environmental monitoring and disaster forecasting system through remote sensing data collection and analysis - demonstrated by Dr. WAN Moufeng (first left), Post-doc Researcher of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Calculator and Estimator - co-developed by the HKUST Institute for the Environment and the Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group.
In addition to industry dialogues and showcases, the Summit organized a Climate Risk Workshop in collaboration with the Network of Environmental Student Societies to equip businesses with insights into climate risks and practical solutions for effective navigation and mitigation.
The event underscores HKUST’s commitment to fostering synergies between the “green”, “fin” and “tech” domains, and pioneering tech solutions to address environmental challenges. The HKUST Green Finance Research Project will continue to drive multi-disciplinary collaboration across academic fields and sectors to explore untapped opportunities at the intersection of green technology and sustainable finance.