Hong Kong is currently updating its territory-wide Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for the next decade, and the increased interest and involvement of business is an important new element. While the biodiversity actions and associated financing requirements have yet to be determined, it is clear that the twin threats of climate change and biodiversity loss demand a substantial scaling up of actions by government and non-government actors. This will require the urgent identification and implementation of innovative financing and policy mechanisms that can rapidly mobilize substantial amounts of private sector capital for nature conservation. This panel session these issues, examines local opportunities for innovative public private partnerships, and the kinds of policy measures required to encourage the private sector to invest.
Moderator
Andy Cornish
Founder, Chief Strategist
Cornerstone Strategies
Cornerstone Strategies
Founder, Chief Strategist
Andy Cornish grew up in Hong Kong, and completed a Ph.D on reef fishes at The University of Hong Kong in 2000. He spent 16 years working for the world’s largest conservation organisation WWF, first as the Conservation Director for WWF-Hong Kong, and then as the leader for a global marine conservation program for WWF International.
He subsequently founded Cornerstone Strategies, a boutique consultancy that provides tailored strategic planning support to charities, foundations and corporations in Asia Pacific and beyond. Andy has extensive experience in strategic planning, fundraising, people development, communications and building collaborations, and a firmly results-driven approach.
His food-related experience includes working as the technical advisor for the Hong Kong Sustainable Seafood Coalition and co-authoring two WWF Hong Kong Ecological Footprint Reports
My Sustainability Goals for 2025:
Katie Chan
Senior Officer – Policy & Research
Business Environment Council
Business Environment Council
Senior Officer – Policy & Research
Katie works on BEC’s Policy & Research team where she contributes to the development of policy positions on Hong Kong’s existing and emerging environmental challenges and drives the delivery of impactful projects to embed sustainability into business strategy and the city’s broader climate transition. Katie currently leads the team’s nature-related work to narrow the gap between business and nature, incorporate biodiversity considerations into local policy and business decision-making, and supports other sectoral decarbonisation initiatives, such as the aviation sector through sustainable aviation fuel.
Prior to working in Hong Kong, Katie worked in the UK to deliver analysis and thought leadership to impact investors and sustainability-minded corporates on climate change policy, the blue economy, biodiversity and nature conservation. Katie is a Geography graduate of King’s College London.
My Sustainability Goal for 2024:
Billy C.H. Hau
Principal Lecturer
School of Biological Sciences, HKU
School of Biological Sciences, HKU
Principal Lecturer
Billy holds a PhD in forest ecology from The University of Hong Kong (HKU). With a focus on ecological restoration, particularly in degraded tropical East Asia, he is recognized as a terrestrial ecologist and conservationist. In 1998, BILLY founded the Native Tree Nursery of the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) to promote the use of native plant species in forest restoration efforts. Additionally, he is the principal investigator of a 20 ha long-term forest monitoring plot in Hong Kong’s Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve which is part of the Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS) – Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO) program. ForestGEO monitors and predicts forest responses to climate change on a global scale. His research currently focuses on carbon sequestration by native trees and forests in Hong Kong. He is also an expert in urban biodiversity and has been helping the public and private sector in promoting biodiversity in urban areas.
My Sustainability Goals for 2024:
I wish to see:
Patrick Ho
Head of Sustainable Development / Member of TNFD
Swire Properties Limited
Swire Properties Limited
Head of Sustainable Development / Member of TNFD
Patrick is responsible for formulating and executing the Sustainable Development 2030 Strategy for Swire Properties’ global operations across Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland and U.S.A. portfolios. Through engaging stakeholders, setting science-based targets and developing action plans, he leads a team to manage the full spectrum of the Company’s environmental, social and economic impact and to integrate ESG considerations into every facet of the Company’s business.
My Sustainability Goals for 2025:
Kate Martin
Sustainable Finance Consultant
ADM Capital Foundation
ADM Capital Foundation
Sustainable Finance Consultant
A structured finance professional with 30yrs of experience in commercial banking, Kate specialised in identifying financial risks and pricing and structuring hedging solutions to mitigate these risks for infrastructure projects and corporates. She also initiated and set up the derivatives sales and coverage desk for Financial Institution & Investor relationships in her last role at SMBC Capital Markets (Asia) Limited.
Certified in Green & Sustainable finance by the Chartered Banker Institute and having completed Sustainability Leadership at Imperial Business School, she is working as a sustainability consultant, helping companies in Asia to identify their material ESG business risks and opportunities and develop Environmental and Social Management Systems (ESMS).
Kate is currently undertaking a research paper on how Hong Kong can innovate financing for marine conservation for ADM Capital Foundation with the purpose of stimulating more conversation and focus in the public and private sectors on preserving our oceans .
Our mission is to understand how our environmental and economic systems are evolving, and to take those insights as a starting point to protect biodiversity, natural resources, reduce system stresses and build environmental resilience. Four themes permeate all of our work: biodiversity, natural resources, climate change and finance.
Swire Properties develops and manages commercial, retail, hotel and residential properties, typically mixed-use developments in prime areas. Established in Hong Kong in 1972, we have investments across Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Singapore and the US. Adhering to our core values of integrity, originality, long-term focus and quality, we aim to create sustained value by developing and managing large-scale mixed-use projects that serve as focal points of the surrounding urban areas.
Our sustainability goals for 2025:
Sustainable development is central to Swire Properties’ business philosophy and company culture. We have established our SD 2030 vision – to be the leading sustainable development performer in the real estate industry globally by 2030. The SD 2030 Strategy was developed to manage the full spectrum of our ESG impacts. Sustainable placemaking and long-term placekeeping form the core of our Strategy.
1. Long-term Decarbonisation
1st real estate developer in Hong Kong to have an approved 1.5°C-aligned Science-based targets, which set the Company on the pathway to reach net zero emissions by 2050 via:
Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions by 25% by 2025 and 46% by 2030 (from a 2019 base year)
2. Deepen sustainability partnerships via:
3. Green Financing – to achieve a minimum of 50% of bond and loan facilities from green financing by 2025 and 80% by 2030
4. Diversity & Inclusion – Maintain a gender balance in senior management and a gender pay ratio at 1:1
5. Commitment to Zero Harm – no fatalities, no serious incidents, no injuries and no harm to health as a result of our business activities
Legal Name: Swire Properties Limited
General Enquiry Email Address: sustainabaledevelopment@swireproperties.com
General Enquiry Phone Number: 2844 3888
General Business Address: 64/F, One Island East, Taikoo Place, 18 Westlands Road, Quarry Bay, Hong Kong