Net Zero & Nature Positive Theatre (Keynote)

Futureproofing Water in a Changing Climate Corporate Innovation & Adaptation

Day 1 : 14:40 – 15:30

Full Programme
Net Zero & Nature Positive Theatre (Keynote)

Water is the resource most vulnerable to climate change yet it’s the only resource we cannot survive without. Beyond quenching our thirst, we need water to grow food, generate power, mine and manufacture goods from fashion to electronics. It is an invaluable asset but with every degree of warming, threats to water security also increase. By 2050, 31% of global GDP worth US$70 trillion and 60% of the world’s population could be exposed to extremely high water stress for at least one month a year . Seas are also rising faster than we think redrawing coastlines & forcing migration unless we adapt. Given this, it is not surprising that leading corporates are innovating to adapt and thrive. Join us to find out how HK based corporates are driving global change to futureproof water revolutionising industries with water in mind, carrying out water stress tests, striving for water neutrality plus more.

Learnings

  • Why are companies taking action now to protect water? What exactly was the impetus?
  • What do they view as the biggest short and long term water and climate risks?
  • How are water and climate risks viewed & managed in the companies? Are they board level risks? Are they integrated into risk management?
  • What are these innovations & how do they come up with them? Where can other companies start?
  • What are the benefits of taking this protective action? How do they balance this against the investment ($, time, people +)?

Post-event Actions

  • Leave with an understanding of urgent water and climate risks and why they matter/ are material to companies.
  • Be inspired and see that it’s possible for companies to innovate to protect water and that it is being done by Hong Kong companies.
  • Leave with an understanding of the range of actions companies can take to protect water from operations to supply chains and setting ambitious corporate targets to future proofing portfolios.

Speakers

Debra Tan

CWR

Director & Head

Tan heads CWR, a non-profit that aims to “mainstream” water & climate risks into financial decision-making & corporate strategies. She built CWR from an idea into a ‘go-to’ resource in the global climate water risk conversation. Today, CWR’s decade+ of work on assessing & valuing risk exposure to rising water scarcity & coastal threats is highlighted in TCFD’s Knowledge Hub, technical guides for disclosure (IFRS/CDSB, SBTN, CDP) and various textbooks on water risk modeling. Her research & reports unpacking water risks with financial institutions & government-related organisations in China are considered groundbreaking and instrumental in understanding not just China’s but future global water challenges. CWR was part of China’s Environmental Risk Analysis Task Force as well as a founding member of Hong Kong’s Green Finance Association. Tan’s work is widely cited from the IPCC and IGOs to the financial sector and mainstream media. As a recognized authority in the water & climate space, Tan is published by SpringerNature, Palgrave MacMillan, G20 & UN editions, China policy journals and was a contributing author to the latest IPCC report “Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability”. She also sat on various advisory committees for MNCs & IGOs including CDP, CDSB (now IFRS) as well as judging panels for ACI and UNPRI awards. Before water, Tan spent over a decade in finance. She spends her spare time exploring Himalayan glaciers.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

Realistic recognition of accelerating climate risks
HK as the regional leader in coastal adaptation
HK as the regional thought leader in financing resilience

Speaking at:

Day 1

Advances in Climate Science: Fine-Scale Projection for Managing Extreme Risks in Asia’s Cities

Daisy Guo

DETERMINANT

Head of Global Business Development & Partnerships

Daisy Guo heads DETERMINANT’s global business development and partnerships. A passionate advocate for sustainability, Daisy is heavily involved in shaping the company’s sustainability roadmap. In 2023, she launched the world’s first cotton waterless dyeing program, a groundbreaking collaboration between DETERMINANT and ECOHUES. This initiative underscores her commitment to pioneering sustainable practices and innovation in the retail industry.

Before joining DETERMINANT, Daisy led Lululemon’s first social impact project in Hong Kong, and contributed to building the Services Marketplace at Lazada, fostering collaboration between Lazada Crossborder and Alibaba teams.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

1. Promoting water stewardship in the textile & apparel industry through the adoption of new technologies like waterless dyeing.

2. Seeing a further reduction in single-use packaging.

Frederick Lee

The University of Hong Kong

Executive Director

Dr. Frederick Lee holds a PhD in Urban Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and serves as the Executive Director of the Centre for Water Technology and Policy at The University of Hong Kong. His current research focuses on two critical water sustainability nexus issues: the water-energy-climate linkage and water-ecology interactions. He is completing a government-funded applied research project that explores how the integration of smart technologies and behavioral ‘nudging’ strategies can enhance water conservation outcomes in both domestic and non-domestic contexts. Dr. Lee also serves as Project Director for the Water-smart Taskforce Programme, a city-wide, government-sponsored water conservation initiative. He is a Fellow at Civic Exchange.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

Goal #1: A significant reduction in the overall level of freshwater consumption in both the domestic and the non-domestic sectors

Goal #2: An enhanced level of community understanding of the importance of prioritizing water loss control in managing the city’s water system

Speaking at:

Day 2

Rethinking Water: Securing Hong Kong’s Liquid Lifeline

Shashank Singh

Colgate Palmolive

Sustainability Lead APAC

Shashank is a sustainability professional with nearly 13 years of diverse experience in manufacturing, supply chain, marketing, and consulting. Holding a mechanical engineering degree, he spent 3.5 years in manufacturing plants, gaining strong technical skills and a good understanding of manufacturing environments. Through a leadership program, he transitioned to marketing, acquiring 1.5 years of core marketing experience that positions him well to bridge the gap between supply chain and commercial discussions. Post his MBA, he entered sustainability consulting to refine his problem-solving skills. As a consultant, Shashank has worked with several government bodies, multilateral organizations, multinationals, and NGOs/non-profits and gained valuable insights into key sustainability topics like decarbonization, waste management, water, audits, regulatory landscapes, and sustainability reporting. He is a firm believer in building relationships and fostering collaboration to achieve shared sustainability goals. Above all, Shashank is a devoted father to a 4-year-old boy and striving to be the best father.

My Sustainability Goals for 2024:

– Connect with more like minded people
– More collaboration

Supported by

With thanks to