A Joined-up Approach for Transforming Hong Kong into a Green Mega-Event Capital

Hong Kong is rapidly developing its mega-event economy. Backed by robust funding and promotional support, the city continues to host flagship events like the Hong Kong Sevens and Art Basel, while securing fresh highlights like LIV Golf and Hypefest. While these bring undeniable economic value, global standards are shifting. Competitor destinations like Singapore and the UK are actively leveraging sustainability as a distinct competitive advantage. To maintain its premier status, Hong Kong must adopt a joined-up approach.

This session begins with a brief overview of current trends in green mega events, along with few best practices and case studies. Following, the discussion will unpack the practicalities of greening large-scale events. By bringing together perspectives across the whole chain, from funding, organisers, venues to supply chain, the discussion will emphasise the creation of a win-win-win scenario for event reputation, commercial growth, and the city.

Session Learnings:

• Grasp the economic and environmental significance of transitioning Hong Kong into a Green Mega-Event Capital, drawing on success stories from event destinations like Singapore and the UK.
• Understand how top-level policy, public funding mechanisms, and private sector collaboration must align to successfully deliver large-scale green events.
• Uncover the roles of each industry player and the resources and measures already available for event decarbonisation and waste reduction.
• Identify obstacles and the potential solutions that the Government or market players can provide to overcome them.

Post-Event Actions:

• Integrate environmental considerations, such as carbon budgets and waste reduction targets, directly into the initial stages of event planning and management.
• Initiate collaborations with key stakeholders, including venue operators, corporate sponsors, and green goods and services suppliers, to develop sustainability strategies for events.
• Assess internal capacity and begin equipping your team with essential, future-proof skills in areas such as green procurement and carbon accounting.