Community Dialogue & Just Transition

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Past Event

2020-09-11

《Climate Change x Social Issues》 Climate Community Dialogue series: Sub-divided flats issues in Hong Kong

On 11 Sept,2020, CarbonCare InnoLab (CCIL) held a Climate Community Dialogue to address the challenge faced by residents of sub-divided flats in face of climate change and COVID-19. While Hong Kong boasts GDP per capita at par with the most affluent cities in the world, over 200,000 people are living in squalid conditions in subdivided flats. And their rights to adequate housing are being largely neglected. Worst still, climate change will exacerbate their living conditions with extreme weather conditions like increasing hot days and thus heat related illnesses.

CCIL invited various frontline NGOs working with subdivided flat residents, primary health organizations like Health in Action, Prof. Wong Hung from Social Work department in CUHK, Dr. Albert Ko, a humanitarian engineer, Dr. Kevin Lau, climate researcher and environmental organizations to converse on solutions (details of participated organizations listed as below). 

This is the first time to have a cross-sectoral group come together to address climate change and its social impacts. It is also the first of a series under CCIL’s Paris Watch Programme. It follows CCIL’s initiative on Talanoa Dialogue in September 2018.  Mr. Chong Chan-yau, CEO of CCIL, said ‘International experience shows that the long neglected vulnerable groups in society will likely be further victimized by crisis like COVID-19 and climate change.  That’s why we choose to conduct this dialogue at this point in time so that they will not be forgotten. We need to ensure that any recovery measure from COVID-19 must be green. Any green recovery must be just, eliminating poverty and distress. Just transition must be realized in policy and actions.’

Below list of participated organizations (according to alphabetical order):

  • Caritas Mok Cheung Sui Kun Community Centre
  • Central and Western District Council member
  • Christian Concern For the Homeless Association
  • CSSA Alliance
  • CUHK Department of Social Work
  • CUHK Institute of Future Cities
  • DreamImpact
  • Eastern District Council member
  • Health In Action
  • HKSKH Lady MacLehose Centre
  • Lingnan Entrepreneurship Initiative (LEI)
  • Greeners Action
  • Secure Information Disposal Services Limited
  • Shatin District Council member
  • Sub-divided Flat Platform
  • 350HK

 
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