Chinachem Group Sustainability Conference 2024 examines impacts of climate change

Shining the spotlight on action and achievable goals, the Chinachem Group Sustainability Conference 2024 brought together noted experts from business, government and academia to discuss vital issues that will reshape our world in the decades ahead.

The hybrid event, which was held in Hong Kong last month, attracted more than 5,000 participants in-person and online, an increase of 60 per cent on last year. They learned about the latest challenges and successes in efforts to combat climate change, as well as innovative initiatives to promote impact investing and scale up sustainable finance.

Co-organised by the Business Environment Council and the Hong Kong Green Building Council, this year’s conference featured keynote speeches and panel discussions around the theme of “Integrating sustainability solutions toward a resilient future”.

“The aim of the conference was to tackle the urgent challenges of climate change, while also driving meaningful impact for long-term social and environmental well-being,” said Wong Hung-han, executive director and chief operating officer of Chinachem Group, which is fully committed to promoting sustainable development and making Hong Kong a more liveable city. “We brought together representatives from various sectors, uniting them in a collective endeavour to explore innovative strategies.”

The theme provided a diverse range of local and international speakers with the opportunity to share ideas and opinions on how best to address the challenges posed by climate change and find the resources needed to build an equitable and inclusive future.

To this end, the practice of impact investing is essential. It ensures that funds are directed towards projects that generate beneficial, measurable social or environmental changes in society, and target specific sectors such as clean energy or improving access to healthcare or housing. Sustainable finance, meanwhile, takes a multifaceted, long-term approach to investments that prioritise the environmental, social and governance impact of companies, alongside competitive financial returns. Both play an important role in addressing the global challenges of climate change, through the implementation of investment strategies that support a more resilient and sustainable future.