BEC EnviroSeries Conference explores climate & biodiversity synergies for a sustainable future

(2 December 2024, Hong Kong) Business Environment Council Limited (“BEC”) held its flagship event BEC EnviroSeries Conference with the theme “Safeguarding the Future of Our Climate and Ecosystems: Aligning Hong Kong’s Actions with UN Biodiversity and Climate Change Conferences” on 29 November. The Conference was held in hybrid mode, attracting over 800 in-person and online participants including government representatives, business leaders, entrepreneurs, industry experts, academics and other interested participants from Hong Kong and abroad.

Mr Kevin O’Brien, Chairman of BEC, opened the conference by emphasising the urgent need for a cohesive approach to tackle the interconnected challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. He said, “As we navigate the outcomes of COP16 and COP29, it is crucial for us to align our local actions with global commitments. Today, we are going to explore how we can work together to protect our ecosystems while advancing our climate goals.”

The Conference was divided into four sessions, namely “Outcome of COP29 and Towards COP30 – Strengthening Climate Commitments”, “Futureproofing Businesses Against Rising Climate Risks and Impacts”, “COP16, Policy and Actions in Building Business Cases for Biodiversity and Nature”, and “Identifying, Assessing and Disclosing Material Nature-related Issues in Value Chains”. Ms Nancy Gillis, Senior Director, Industrial Decarbonization, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, was invited to deliver the keynote speech at the Conference. Participants engaged in robust discussions about the latest developments in climate policy, innovative solutions for enhancing biodiversity, and the role of businesses in driving sustainable practices.

Mr Simon Ng, Chief Executive Officer of BEC, said, “We are grateful to everyone who contributed to this Conference and our collective journey toward net zero, including all speakers, panellists, moderators, sponsors and supporting organisations. Together, we can build a sustainable future for Hong Kong by integrating climate and biodiversity strategies into our business models. Looking ahead, BEC will continue to partner with our members and the business sector to drive the city towards net zero and nature positive.”

Among the speakers, panellists and moderators at the Conference were (in order of appearance):

• Mr Kevin O’Brien, Chairman, Business Environment Council
• Ms Nancy Gillis, Senior Director, Industrial Decarbonization, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
• Mr Merlin Lao, Head – Policy and Research, Business Environment Council
• Dr Dai Fan, Research Committee Member, Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality, HKU
• Mr CF Wong, Commissioner for Climate Change, Environment and Ecology Bureau
• Ms Serena Mak, Executive Director, Sustainable Finance, Institutional Banking Group, DBS Bank (Hong Kong)
• Ir Shelley Zhou, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Hang Seng Bank
• Mr Michael Long, Director, Sustainability, New World Development Company Limited
• Ms Chelsea Jiang, Chief Technical and Innovation Officer, General Insurance, Greater China, AXA Group
• Dr Calvin Kwan, Managing Director – Sustainability & Risk Governance, Link Asset Management
• Mr Dipjay Sanchania, Director – Climate & Energy, adidas
• Mr Mickey Lai, Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation
• Dr Andy Cornish, Founder & Chief Strategist, Cornerstone Strategies
• Ms Susan Hu,Nature Action Agenda Lead, World Economic Forum
• Mr Simon Chan, Assistant Director (Conservation), Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
• Mr Patrick Ho, Head of Sustainable Development, Swire Properties Limited
• Ms Sophia Zhu, Special Advisor, Development and Strategy, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden
• Dr David Gallacher, Executive Director, Environment, Hong Kong, AECOM
• Mr Tom Hegarty, Senior Manager – Lead, Transition planning and targets, TNFD
• Mr Derek Wu, APAC Consulting Lead, Climate and Nature, AXA Climate
• Mr Eddie Tse, Group Sustainability Manager, Gammon Construction Limited
• Ms Hayley Wong, Head of Sustainability and Climate Risk, Archireef
• Ms Lit Ping Low, Asia Pacific Sustainability, Climate Change Partner, PwC Hong Kong
• Mr Simon Ng, Chief Executive Officer, Business Environment Council

EnviroSeries Conference is BEC’s flagship event that aims to provide a cross-sector forum for stakeholders to discuss and address key issues related to Hong Kong’s environmental sustainability, and serves as a BEC’s key initiative for thought leadership development on important topical issues.