Last week, Civic Exchange hosted the KEL Sustainable Consumption Workshop, bringing together educators to explore practical ways to promote sustainability within schools and communities. The workshop began with a visit to Mil Mill, Hong Kong’s first pulp mill and education centre that recycles beverage cartons. Teachers discovered the complexity of carton recycling—each one contains six layers of materials, including paper, plastic, and aluminium. The challenges of recycling in Hong Kong is also highlighted, from limited infrastructure to misconceptions about what can and cannot be recycled. In the second part of the workshop, Mr. Carlos Rius Errando from Harbour School introduced an engaging Sustainable Seafood Game. Designed to teach students about ocean conservation and sustainability, this interactive fishing game explains which seafood is threatened by overconsumption and how making sustainable choices can protect marine ecosystems. Carlos emphasised that even students far from the ocean can connect with marine biodiversity through fun and educational experiences. We concluded the workshop with a discussion on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), an initiative by UNESCO. The educators shared thoughtful ideas on how to strengthen sustainability education in Hong Kong. They suggested introducing green procurement practices in schools, encouraging institutions to prioritize eco-friendly products alongside affordability. They also proposed refining judging criteria for the Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (School Sector) (previously referred to as “Hong Kong Green School Award”) to focus on small but impactful changes, like reducing waste or improving energy efficiency. Another significant suggestion was to update the Education Bureau’s 12 Values Education framework and 7 Learning Goals to include sustainability, aligning it with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and empowering students to understand their relationship with the planet and the urgency of climate action. This workshop was a powerful reminder of the essential role educators play in shaping a sustainable future. By equipping teachers with the tools and knowledge to inspire their students, we are one step closer to building a greener, more conscious generation.

As we embark on the summer season, Civic Exchange is thrilled to share about the Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador (YEA) Programme. This year, we host 35 passionate Form 3 to Form 5 local students who have dedicated their summer to exploring their roles in climate action within their local communities. During our opening ceremony on 20 July, attendees had the honour of hearing insights from distinguished speakers including Mr. Evan Auyang, our chairman, and guests such as Mr. Kam Sing Wong, former Secretary for Environment, and Mr. Lam Chiu Ying, former Head of Observatory. Our previous year's YEA winners also shared tips on initiating impactful climate action projects. The success of this programme would not be possible without the generous support of our funding partners, The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Hong Kong and ExxonMobil Hong Kong, as well as our education collaborator, Hong Kong Maritime Museum, who have graciously supported the venue. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to all the supporting organisations, including At Knowledge Education Foundation, Kibo, Le Méridien Hong Kong, Cyberport, Marriott International, Sea Education Association, Sprinkles Charity Foundation, Swire Coca-Cola HK, Swire Properties, ENVR HKUST, The Nature Conservancy Hong Kong, The University of Hong Kong School of Biological Sciences, and The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas). Over the next few weeks, these YEAs will participate in intensive workshops to equip them with the knowledge and skills to drive substantial climate change action. With their new skills, participants will come up with ideas for sustainable projects and implement them with the support of Civic Exchange and its partners. We are proud to support the next generation of environmental leaders and eagerly anticipate the profound impact of their innovative initiatives within their communities.

On 15 November 2024, Hong Kong 2050 is Now launched the Key Environmental Education Leaders (KEL) Programme Nature-based Solutions Webinar. The KEL Programme aims to empower educators to nurture the next generation of environmental leaders by offering comprehensive training to principals, teachers, and educators from local schools in Hong Kong. We were honored to welcome Dr. Billy Hau from the University of Hong Kong and Mr. Kelvin So from WWF-Hong Kong as our guest speakers. In the first half of the webinar, Dr. Hau introduced the definition and 8 principles of nature-based solutions (NbS), emphasising that the concept is dynamic and continues to evolve. He explained how forests can be utilised as an NbS in Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis to support the city's goals of becoming a sponge city and achieving carbon neutrality. Dr. Hau highlighted that adopting NbS in the Northern Metropolis could restore biodiversity, enhance carbon storage and sequestration—resulting in an estimated total carbon gain of 339,089 tC after reforestation—and reduce disaster risks such as landslides and wildfires. He concluded by stressing the importance of integrating forest NbS with other cities in the Greater Bay Area and reaffirmed its feasibility within the Northern Metropolis. Next, Mr. Kelvin So shared valuable insights about the ocean and its critical role in supporting marine life. He explained that while coral reefs cover less than 0.1% of ocean area, they are home to 25% of marine biodiversity, provide a wide range of ecosystem services, making them an essential habitat for marine life. Mr. So reported alarming statistics: coral coverage in the Tolo Channel has dropped from 80% to 2%, and 50% of seagrass beds have disappeared in the past five years, underscoring the urgency of restoration efforts. To address this, WWF-HK is collaborating with Coral Academy, CUHK to restore coral communities using sexual and asexual propagation. He also highlighted the importance of education, sharing examples of training workshops and school programs offered by WWF-HK to raise awareness and encourage community involvement. During the Q&A session, participants posed thoughtful questions, such as clarifications on the concept of NbS, ways schools can support or adopt NbS, the differences between NbS and conservation, and the availability of outdoor educational programs for students. These inquiries reflect a strong interest in the concept of NbS and a desire to learn more about its applications and benefits. We are deeply thankful to our speakers for sharing their expertise and enthusiasm during the webinar, and we look forward to continuing the conversation on nature-based solutions in schools and across the education sector.

On 8 November 2024, Hong Kong 2050 is Now launched the Key Environmental Education Leaders (KEL) Programme Sustainable Consumption Webinar. The KEL Programme aims to empower educators to nurture the next generation of environmental leaders by offering comprehensive training to principals, teachers, and educators from local schools in Hong Kong. We were honored to welcome Ms. Vanessa Cheung from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Ms. Tiffany Leung from Redress as our guest speakers. In the first half of the webinar, Ms. Cheung introduced FSC’s work in setting standards to ensure that products containing forest-based materials do not contribute to deforestation. She explained FSC’s thorough supply chain checks from forest to consumer, which emphasises how information can be traced and increases transparency, leading to over 80% of consumers trusting the FSC label. Ms. Cheung also suggested simple switches schools can make to merge the sustainability elements into school operation, such as purchasing sustainable products and understanding the meaning and processes behind sustainable labels. Following this, Ms. Tiffany Leung from Redress provided insights into Hong Kong’s sustainable fashion scene, emphasising the importance of schools and educators in fostering sustainability. She highlighted how overconsumption is reflected in the clothing Redress collects from the public, including many items that are brand new and unworn, which Redress resells to promote a circular economy. Ms. Leung introduced the school programmes and talks that Redress offers and shared tips on reducing textile waste in everyday life. During the Q&A session, participants asked insightful questions, such as what contributes to the higher cost of sustainable products compared to unsustainable ones, and how schools can further embrace sustainability. They also expressed gratitude to the speakers, noting that similar talks would be beneficial if held at schools. We are deeply thankful to our speakers for sharing their expertise and enthusiasm during the webinar, and we look forward to continuing the conversation on climate change in schools and across the education sector.

On 4 October 2024, Hong Kong 2050 is Now launched the first event of the Key Environmental Education Leaders (KEL) Programme with a Decarbonisation Webinar. The KEL Programme aims to empower educators to nurture the next generation of environmental leaders by offering comprehensive training to principals, teachers, and educators from local schools in Hong Kong. We were honoured to welcome Mr. Lam Chiu Ying, former head of the Hong Kong Observatory, and Mr. Wong Kam Sing, former Secretary for the Environment, as our guest speakers. In the first half of the webinar, Mr. Lam Chiu Ying discussed climate science, explaining the intrinsic link between human activities and climate change and its impact on daily life and survival. He highlighted that 2023 marks a tipping point for the climate, as carbon dioxide level have risen rapidly during the past 35 years, contributing to half of the total carbon dioxide emission since Industrial Revolution. He also emphasised that climate change will significantly affect food security, with noticeable impacts expected before 2050. He stressed the urgency for Hong Kong to become a resilient society and for young people to develop climate knowledge to become future leaders in sustainable development. Next, Mr. Wong Kam Sing provided insights into Hong Kong’s decarbonisation efforts and underscored the crucial role educators play in shaping a sustainable future. He stated that Hong Kong needs to enhance its mitigation and adaptation measures and noted that the government has introduced various blueprints and quick guides on how the city has reduced carbon emissions per capita. He shared practical ways to reduce carbon emissions in everyday life and highlighted the importance of incorporating decarbonisation concepts into different school subjects, which could have a significant impact. During the Q&A session, participants asked insightful questions, such as how sustainability can be integrated into school curricula and how carbon dioxide levels have changed over the years. They also expressed gratitude to the speakers, noting that similar talks would be beneficial if held at schools. We are deeply thankful to our speakers for sharing their expertise and enthusiasm during the webinar, and we look forward to continuing the conversation on climate change in schools and across the education sector.

The day has finally come for our Youth Environment Ambassadors (YEAs) to showcase what they have learned, accomplished, and achieved during the programme. On 24th August, Civic Exchange organised the Hong Kong 2050 is Now Youth Environment Ambassador programme Closing Ceremony. Our YEAs started the ceremony with a 30-minute marketplace, where each group set up their booth to introduce their project ideas, and outcomes within August for judges and guests. Our judges, Mr Paul Zimmerman, our board member, Professor Arthur Lau from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Mr Desmond Chan from ExxonMobil Hong Kong and Youtuber Mr Wong Kar Wai, engaged with the students to fully understand the ideas behind each group. 7 YEA teams then further presented their project in 5 minutes, and our judges generously shared their experiences and insights on individual projects. After a mindful scoring by our judges, the 3 winning teams were formed: Group 2, which set up a thrift store selling repurposed second-hand clothes to promote sustainable fashion, won the YEA Sustainable Leadership Award. RHFF Innovation Award was won by Group 5, which organised an eco-tour and terrarium workshop to raise awareness of Hong Kong's biodiversity. Lastly, Group 4, which set up a photo exhibition in the Hong Kong Maritime Museum to promote nature-based solutions won the ExxonMobil High Potential Award. 24 YEAs with outstanding attendance rates were presented with certificates of completion, and we played a YEA programme recap video to wrap up the entire sustainable journey of our YEAs. We hope that all YEAs have equipped themselves with climate change related knowledge and different skillsets, with horizons broadened to continue working towards a more sustainable future. Once again, we thank all supporting organisations, as well as the judges, workshop panelists, human library guests, and mentors, for making our programme successful and fruitful.

During the "ACT” phase of the Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador (YEA) programme, the YEAs formed teams while guided by mentors from the sustainability field after acquiring skills and knowledge during the “LEARN” phase to complete their own sustainable projects. Prizes were given at the Closing Ceremony to recognise outstanding teams and ideas. The RHFF Innovation Award was given to Group 5 for hosting an engaging ecotour at Hong Kong Park and an interactive terrarium workshop. Group 5 has demonstrated exceptionally innovation through project idea formulation and implementation. Group 5, as a part of the Hong Kong Joint School Environment and Conservation Society formed by three groups of YEAs, led participants through the urban oasis of Hong Kong Park. The ecotour provided an insightful exploration of the park’s diverse plants and birds, offering participants a glimpse into the rich biodiversity that thrives in an urban setting. Then, participants were being invited to the terrarium workshop, where they created their own terrariums while learning about plants and biodiversity. The participants were not only impressed with the diverse biodiversity the park offers, but also with the YEAs’ knowledge on local wildlife. This event had given the students a precious opportunity to sharpen their public speaking and leadership skills, which will benefit them when they pursue on their higher education and careers. As we look ahead, we are excited to see how these young leaders will continue to shine.

During the "ACT” phase of the Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador (YEA) programme, the YEAs formed teams while guided by mentors from the sustainability field after acquiring skills and knowledge during the “LEARN” phase to complete their own sustainable projects. Apart from the 3 winning groups, the other 4 groups also produced fruitful results and promoted sustainability and conservation messages in the community. Group 1, as part of the Hong Kong Joint School Environment and Conservation Society, hosted workshops to repurpose used plastic bottles into plant pots and designed exhibition boards to introduce local plants. Group 3 created The Sustainable Classroom on social media, and is on a mission to spread messages of sustainability in a fun and engaging way using a mascot designed by themselves. They have created short reels featuring a charismatic mascot that delivers important tips for eco-friendly living. Group 6 is passionate about promoting local and seasonal eating on social media. They’re producing cooking videos that showcase delicious, eco-friendly recipes while interviewing experts from Green Hub HK to discuss the benefits of a vegetarian diet.   Group 7 focused on fashion sustainability, this team is setting up an online platform for exchanging second-hand clothing. Their initiative not only extends the life of clothing but also fosters a sense of community among fashion lovers. Thank you for all YEA teams’ hard work on implementing their sustainable projects, and commitment to making a positive impact in our communities and environment! We hope that all YEAs have acquired climate change knowledge, different sets of skills, and a broadened horizon after this programme. We look forward to seeing all YEAs transforming into green leaders and working towards a greener and more liveable future for all of us.

During the "ACT” phase of the Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador (YEA) programme, the YEAs formed teams while guided by mentors from the sustainability field after acquiring skills and knowledge during the “LEARN” phase to complete their own sustainable projects. Prizes were given at the Closing Ceremony to recognise outstanding teams and ideas. Our grand prize, YEA Sustainable Leadership Award, was presented to Group 2. The group of three set up an online thrift store that specialises in upcycled second-hand clothing, which sets as a remarkable example of sustainable fashion in action. The judges gave their compliments on Group 2’s attempt to build a sustainable business model. As the only projects that generate revenue out of the 7 teams, the online thrift store also emphasises the importance of upcycling, which can significantly reduce textile waste and carbon footprints. By creatively transforming used clothing and producing attractive reels on social media, they have successfully captured the attention of both consumers and judges. Apart from showcasing their clothes, the group also created educational messages on their social media which promotes the importance of sustainable consumption. Their project promotes a culture of conscious consumerism and a circular economy for fashion, demonstrating how sustainable fashion can create lasting positive impacts on our planet. We are more than excited to see how the thrift store will continue to thrive, and what impact it will continue have on youngsters on making conscious fashion choices.

During the "ACT” phase of the Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador (YEA) programme, the YEAs formed teams while guided by mentors from the sustainability field after acquiring skills and knowledge during the “LEARN” phase to complete their own sustainable projects. Prizes were given at the Closing Ceremony to recognise outstanding teams and ideas. Group 4 is the winner of the Exxon Mobil High Potential Award, an award which celebrates the project with the highest feasibility and measurable impact. As part of the Hong Kong Joint School Environment and Conservation Society, Group 4 organised a 5-day wildlife photography exhibition to promote Hong Kong biodiversity and nature-based solutions to the public, where they interacted with more than 600 attendees. This project has the highest public influence out of all YEA projects. Mr. Wong Kam Sing, former Secretary for the Environment, Ms. Scarlet Wong from RHFF, and our team were invited to visit their exhibition on 19th August at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum. The photo exhibition showcases various ecosystems in Hong Kong, including forest, marine, wetland, and urban environments. After trying out the terrarium workshop, the guests chatted with our YEAs to understand their thoughts about the YEA programme, and they fully supported the idea to set up a joint secondary school society for more like-minded individuals to share ideas.   We hope the YEAs will take valuable lessons from their project experiences and continue to lead in the future.

On 1 August, our YEA programme held an engaging workshop packed with activities centred on Human Library and Project Development. The morning kicked off with a lively Kahoot quiz, testing our YEA attendees on decarbonisation, waste management, sustainable consumption, and nature-based solutions – topics from our previous workshops. The top 7 high scorers were rewarded with gifts sponsored by two sustainable brands Kibo and Haishang. The afternoon session featured a Human Library with 11 distinguished guests, including Ms Connie Chan, Project Manager at Clean Air Network, Mr Gomen See, Marine Science Programme Manager at the Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Ms Karen Ho, Head of Corporate and Community Sustainability at WWF-Hong Kong, Ms Kelly Chan, Project Officer at Drink Without Waste, Mr Khalil Tsoi, Sustainable Development Assistant Manager at Cathay Pacific, Ms Maggie Suen, Assistant Project Manager at The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, Ms Priscilla Lin, Manager, Sustainability and Strategy at Schneider Electric (Hong Kong) Limited, Mr Roy Ng, Campaign Manager at The Conservancy Association, Mr Steven Chan, Assistant Environment Affairs Manager at the Green Earth, Ms Tiffany Leung, Circular Fashion Programme Manager – School Education at ReDress, and Mr Tom Ng, Campaigner at Greenpeace. Our YEA attendees were divided into groups, giving them the opportunity to interact with different guests, gain valuable insights on their project ideas, and receive constructive feedback. Following these discussions, each group presented their project ideas in an elevator pitch session. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Human Library guests for their time and invaluable contributions. Several experienced professionals will guide all of the YEAs in organising sustainable projects throughout August. Best of luck to our YEAs on their project journey, we are excited to see your projects come to life!

On 31 July, the attendees of Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador Programme visited Pak Nai, Yuen Long – an area rich with oyster reefs, mudflats, mangroves, and precious organisms like horseshoe crabs! Our visit was facilitated by staff members from The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The TNC staff explained their conservation work in Pak Nai to the students, which includes working on the mudflats in Pak Nai, oyster reef restoration, and ecological monitoring of the surroundings. The TNC staff also brought our attendees on an eco-tour, where the YEA attendees learned about Pak Nai’s rich biodiversity. Following this the YEA attendees participated in a hands-on conservation experience. This involved restoring the oyster reefs in the Pak Nai mudflats by reconfiguring abandoned oyster farms. Oyster reefs have faced increasing degradation due to over-harvesting, decline in sustainable, traditional oyster farming practices, and coastal reclamation. Since oyster reefs provide many ecosystem services (e.g. acting as filter-feeders that improve water quality, and stabilising shorelines), their degradation results in the decline of the surrounding biodiversity. By helping to restore the oyster reefs, our YEA attendees have taken action to make Pak Nai a better environment for the organisms that inhabit the area. We would like to thank the staff at The Nature Conservancy for their time and expertise, through which our YEA attendees have improved their environmental awareness of the biodiversity, aquaculture practices and conservation efforts in Hong Kong!