Opinion | COP27 should be Hong Kong’s call to climate action

Sunday marked the conclusion of yet another United Nations climate change conference (COP27). The goal was to reset targets to save humanity from the ravaging impacts of the climate crisis, yet the result was inadequate, with many countries resisting change.

In 2015, at COP21, 196 parties signed the Paris Agreement on climate change. It obliges participating countries to commit to action plans for climate change mitigation, adaptation and financial alignment, with the aim of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, ideally to 1.5 degrees.

The World Resources Institute has highlighted that current commitments are set to bring down carbon emissions in 2030 by just 7 per cent from 2019 levels. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, emissions must decline by at least 43 per cent to keep the 1.5 degree goal within reach. In other words, all parties must strengthen their commitments and act with greater urgency.

As a city with a significant global footprint, Hong Kong has a role to play in tackling climate change. Its Climate Action Plan 2050, first published in 2021, promises a net-zero-carbon future. To meet this commitment, government bureaus must work together to make sustainability the core of all future development.

Regarding climate change mitigation, the government has pledged a 7.5-10 per cent increase in renewable energy by 2035. This journey must start with an environmental assessment to confirm we are using the right resources to optimise renewable energy production while avoiding adverse impacts on biodiversity.