The Men in Black Session : Three Scientists. Three Systems. One Planet. Part IV: Moderated Discussion

Professor Benjamin Horton is Dean of the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong and a leading coastal scientist specializing in sea-level change. He has received major accolades from the European Geophysical Union, American Geophysical Union and Geological Society of America. Professor Horton is a Fellow of both the Geological Society of America and the American Geophysical Union. He served as a Review Editor for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report, has been a contributor to the Conference of Parties (COP), and is currently the Principal Investigator of UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development project, promoting global coastal policy through scientific leadership and interdisciplinary research.

Sam has been developing strategy and leading numerous projects focusing on the wildlife trade since 2016. His work entails conducting research, developing campaigns and engaging stakeholders. He manages the Foundation’s ‘Wildlife Product Seizures’ (WiPS) database and ‘Seizure to Sentencing’ (S2S) initiative, has co-authored numerous reports and papers on wildlife crime and exotic animal trade, led dialogues with the Hong Kong Government, civil society and the private sector, and presented in fora ranging from local schools to the United Nations. With over a decade of experience addressing environmental issues across Asia, Sam previously served as Cryosphere Programme Coordinator at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), a writer for Columbia University, and consulted for several NGOs. Sam holds an MSc in Climate Change & Risk Management as well as a BSc in Geography from the University of Exeter (UK).

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

1.  Strengthen Hong Kong’s wildlife trade enforcement by closing policy loopholes, enhancing enforcement and building stakeholder coalitions, directly supporting HK BSAP Action 1.6 and the 5YP’s ecological security pillar.
2. Mainstream the interconnectedness of climate and biodiversity into policy through targeted stakeholder engagement and capacity-building, contributing to HK BSAP Priority Action 2.5.