Past Event
2022-10-08
LCOYHK 2022
Around 90 youths of Hong Kong came together this weekend to discuss climate change and exchange ideas and information on actions to tackle the pressing global challenge. They are participating in the two-days Local Conference of Youth Hong Kong (‘LCOY HK’) from 8 to 9 October 2022. It is the first face-to-face LCOY HK since the pandemic.
LCOY HK 2022 is the one and only platform in Hong Kong accredited by United Nations YOUNGO, the official youth constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It is co-organised by CarbonCare InnoLab (‘CCIL’), Hong Kong Youth for Climate Action (‘HKYCA’), Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change (‘MoCC’), Network of Environmental Student Societies (‘NESS’) and V’air Hong Kong, and sponsored by Hang Seng Bank, with venue support from Breakthrough Youth Village. LCOY HK 2022 is one of the climate education initiatives under the ‘Hang Seng Low Carbon Future - SolarCare Programme’.
Climate crises are threatening every inch of the world in 2022, like catastrophic floods in Pakistan and South Sudan, heatwaves and energy crises in Europe and North America, drought in Latin America, and especially life-threatening and record-breaking high temperatures in Hong Kong. In the meantime, the world is on track for 2.4 degrees Celsius temperature rise above the pre-industrial level, despite pledges made at the 2021 Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26).
At the upcoming 2022 Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (‘COP27’), Keep 1.5 ℃ Alive would be the key discussion of climate negotiations. Ahead of the participation of eight CarbonCare InnoLab Youth Delegates in the COP27, which will be held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, LCOY HK 2022 provided an invaluable opportunity for more local youths to contribute to COP27. They can also learn more about the importance of limiting the temperature rise within 1.5 ℃ and promoting climate justice in actions to respond to climate change and to better envision what sustainable cities of the future might look like.
Under the theme of ‘Keep 1.5 ℃ Alive’, activities at LCOY HK included interactive workshops, games, tours, human library sharings, panel discussions, and seminars. The Conference also aimed to inspire local young people to contribute to local, regional and international climate actions. One highlight during the weekend was be the sharing of climate justice and adaptation from seven international youth advocates. They shared the climate adaptation and climate injustice crisis they have encountered, their successful story in pushing for ambitious action, robust collaboration and firm commitment from key decision-makers on climate-related issues.
The Hong Kong Government’s Climate Action Plan 2050 sets out a roadmap for making the city carbon neutral by 2050. The success of this plan and keeping 1.5 Degrees Celsius alive will depend on the concerted efforts of the entire community, including younger generations.
Ms Diane Wong, Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology; Mr Chong Chan-yau, Co-founder and CEO at CCIL; Ms Natalie Chung, young environmentalist and member of the Council for Sustainable Development and the Green Tech Fund Assessment Committee of the HKSAR; and Ms Betty Law, Head of Communications and Corporate Sustainability at Hang Seng Bank, attended the opening ceremony.
Mr Chong Chan-yau, Co-founder and CEO at CCIL, said: “We are witnessing unprecedented floods in Pakistan and droughts in the Horn of Africa with millions of people suffering. Many of the regions that have contributed the least to the climate crisis are suffering the most from devastating effects. Hong Kong is a prosperous city and should take up more actions to help tackle climate change. CCIL will nurture Hong Kong youths to be good global citizens who are passionate about making a positive difference.”
Ms Carly Leung, one of the COP27 youth delegates, said: “We are witnessing an escalation in the devastating effects of the global climate crisis. LCOY HK 2022 is a fantastic opportunity for young people to actively participate in tackling climate change. We can share our views, exchange knowledge and gain the skills needed for initiating climate action. We can all be valuable contributors to this mission and bring the voices, opinions and concerns of young people into international climate conversations.”
To contribute to Keep 1.5 ℃ Alive in Hong Kong, a solar power system is installed at the Breakthrough Youth Village which helps to promote renewable energy and climate education. A tour of the solar panel system was delivered to LCOY HK participants to educate them the importance of climate mitigation and knowledge of solar power system, as well as inspire them to think the need of scaling up renewable energy in Hong Kong.
In response to the growing interest in sustainability-related careers among young people, Hang Seng hosted a human library on green careers and the insight from different green sectors in driving greater sustainability and just transition. In order to inspire youths to join and develop their green careers in the future, (1) Mr. Blaire Ho, Programme Officer of CCIL, (2) Mr. Frank Heung, Head of Structured Finance, Corporate Real Estate & Corporate Advisory of Hang Seng Bank, (3) Mr. Harold Yip, Co-founder and Executive Director of Mil Mill and Sustainable & Secure Information Disposal and (4) Ms. Natalie Chung, Co-founder of V’air shared their insights on working in green careers, knowledge and skills needed for developing green careers and answered participants' questions during the session.
CCIL Youth Delegates to COP26 shared their Glasgow conference experiences of last year at LCOY HK to motivate Hong Kong youth to take part in international climate actions. In addition, Youth Delegates to COP27 shared their Hong Kong Youth Statement on Climate Actions with the LCOY HK participants, to strengthen the voice of Hong Kong youths for this international platform. They also facilitated an advocacy training session on writing position papers. Participants in the session formed groups to compose position papers on various climate issues, to suggest new, ambitious, concrete climate actions that could be rolled out and implemented in Hong Kong. The papers will be documented and submitted to UN YOUNGO as part of the global youth climate positioning at COP27.
CCIL leads the Hong Kong youth delegation to COP27, giving these young people the opportunity to meet their international peers as well as government delegates, business leaders, and representatives from indigenous communities and small islands that are currently being most affected by climate change. CCIL strives to connect Hong Kong youths with international climate advocates and empower them to lead local, national, and international climate actions to build a sustainable future.