Hong Kong’s environment chief on Thursday underscored the need to adopt a comprehensive strategy on climate change adaptation and resilience, apart from implementing ambitious decarbonization strategies, to combat climate change effectively.

Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said this while delivering his speech at the US-China Subnational Climate Leaders Dialogue in Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).

Speaking at a panel discussion on “In the City Climate Action: Climate Adaptation and Resilience”, he introduced the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s carbon reduction strategies and measures to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, including net-zero electricity generation, energy saving and green building, green transport, waste reduction.

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Tse also shared the progress and achievements of the measures.

The HKSAR’s chief secretary for administration chairs a cross-departmental steering committee to coordinate and implement the work on combating climate change, while various government departments have formulated and implemented enhanced measures to cope with potential serious threats Hong Kong may face due to extreme weather, he told the meeting.

Chinese Special Envoy for Climate Change Liu Zhenmin delivered an opening speech at the US-China Subnational Climate Leaders Dialogue, hosted by the California-China Climate Institute.

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The forum 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.

While attending a tea gathering with organizations, industry practitioners and young people from Hong Kong attending the COP29 climate talks the same day, Tse said carbon neutrality is a global goal and the world must face low-carbon and green transformation in the future.

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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 the rule of law system as an international financial center, he said.

Various sectors and industries can strengthen collaboration with the government to seize the enormous opportunities brought about by the low-carbon and green transformation, added the secretary.