Global Sustainable Development Congress
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology participated in the Global Sustainable Development Congress 2024, organized by Times Higher Education (THE) in Bangkok, Thailand from June 10-13, 2024. As a leading research university committed to driving sustainable innovation and solutions, HKUST joined thought-provoking sessions during this international event.
The Congress drew over 3,000 global thought leaders, policymakers, industry executives, and civil society representatives, underscoring the urgency and importance of the sustainability agenda. HKUST's participation underscored its commitment to addressing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on a global stage. Our faculty shared their cutting-edge projects and insights across a range of sustainability topics throughout the congress.
HKUST hosted two high-profile sessions and a panel discussion that highlighted the university's multifaceted contributions to addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). On June 11, Professor Alexis LAU, Director of the Institute for the Environment, led a masterclass on developing effective climate warning systems. Additionally, Professor Yang WANG, Vice-president for Institutional Advancement, participated in a panel discussion on harnessing digital transformation for sustainability. On June 12, Professor Hong LO, Dean of Engineering and Director of GREAT Smart Cities Institute, led a session on smart city innovations.
The GSDC represented a crucial international platform for driving tangible progress on the sustainability agenda. HKUST was honored to contribute its expertise and thought leadership to this global dialogue. Through collaboration and knowledge-sharing, HKUST aimed to inspire new ideas, foster cross-sector partnerships, and accelerate concrete actions towards a more sustainable future for all.
Climate Resilience
Digital Sustainability
Sustainable Cities
Joint Declaration
OUR SESSIONS
Day 2 - June 11, 2024 | 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM | Room 105
From data to action: effective extreme climate warning systems to safeguard communities
This session convened a distinguished gathering of international organizations, academic experts, and community-based groups to collectively examine the development of robust early warning systems targeted at climate and health crises. The dynamic discussions centered around innovative approaches to crafting personalized warnings tailored to the needs of vulnerable populations, as climate change threats continue to evolve. Notably, the session explored strategic leveraging of the Internet of Things and mobile technologies to enable precise risk detection and dissemination of personalized guidance - all with the aim of prompting decisive action from affected individuals, while diligently avoiding the pitfall of overwhelming the public.
Speakers:
- Professor Fei CHEN, Co-chair of the WMO's Urban Prediction Project; Professor, Division of Environment and Sustainability, HKUST
- Professor Alexis LAU, Head, Division of Environment and Sustainability, HKUST
- Ms. Eva Yeung, Senior Manager of Community Resilience Service, Hong Kong Red Cross
Moderator:
- Mr. Duncan Ross, Chief Data Officer, THE
Day 2 - June 11, 2024 | 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM | Room 103
The digital revolution is now: How will it ensure a sustainable future?
The advent of the sixth industrial revolution presented a complex landscape of both promising opportunities and formidable challenges when it came to driving sustainable development. As rapidly evolving technologies continued to transform how we work, live, and learn, this session explored strategies for aligning digital transformation with the sustainable development agenda and mitigating any negative impacts. Key areas of discussion included harnessing the power of big data, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and other emerging technologies to address pressing sustainability challenges, while also examining the potential risks and unintended consequences of unchecked technological progress.
Speakers:
- Professor Yang WANG , Vice-president for Institutional Advancement, HKUST
- Ms. Boonyarat Kittivorawut, Senior Regional Manager (Asia), Open Contracting Partnership
- Mr. Chester Chua, Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google Cloud, Google
- Ms. May-Ann Lim, Director of Data Governance, Access Partnership
- Mr. Rodrigo Ballester, Ministerial Commissioner, Ministry of Culture and Innovation, Hungary
Moderator:
- Mr. Nicky Verd, Digital Futurist, Digitally Fit
Day 3 - June 12, 2024 | 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM | Room 105
Smart innovations for sustainable cities and communities
As environmental concerns escalate the need for resilient and liveable cities intensifies, the convergence of technology and sustainability became increasingly important. To guide policymakers, researchers and industry leaders in their pursuit of sustainable urban development, this session elucidated the elements that brought about smart innovations for sustainable cities and communities, focusing on the integration of advanced technologies like AI and the Internet of Things, as well as the application of big-data analytics for addressing urban challenges, promoting resource efficiency, enhancing quality of life, and fostering sustainable development.
Speaker:
- Professor Hong K. LO, Dean of Engineering and Director of GREAT Smart Cities Institute, HKUST
Moderator:
- Mr. Marcus LEUNG-SHEA, Acting Director of Sustainability/Net-Zero Office, HKUST
Day 3 - June 12, 2024 | 13:40 PM - 2:00 PM | Room 105
Joint Declaration on Promoting Carbon Neutrality
In our shared commitment to achieving carbon neutrality and supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, HKUST, together with our distinguished university partners, announced the "Joint Declaration on Embracing a Living Lab Approach to Promote Carbon Neutrality." This declaration demonstrated our firm commitment to SDG 13 ‘climate action’ and called for joint effort to address climate change by leveraging our campuses as test-beds for hands-on learning and advancing applied research.
Speaker:
- Professor Yang WANG, Vice-president for Institutional Advancement, HKUST
Moderator:
- Mr. Marcus LEUNG-SHEA, Acting Director of Sustainability/Net-Zero Office, HKUST
Our Speakers
Professor Yang WANG
Vice-President for Institutional Advancement
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Yang Wang is Vice-President for Institutional Advancement at HKUST. He is also a chair professor of mathematics, and industrial engineering and decision analytics. He is the co-founder of HKUST’s Big Data Institute and the founding director of the Big Data for Bio Intelligence Laboratory. As chief scientific adviser of the Institute of Web 3.0 Hong Kong and the founding adviser for the Blockchain Academy, Professor Wang has made significant contributions to advancing digital technologies education. He also launched the popular big data technology MSc programme. He is an internationally respected scholar having published more than 150 research journal papers and two books, contributing to knowledge on wavelets, machine learning, harmonic analysis and supply chain management.
Professor Hong K. LO
Dean of Engineering and Director of GREAT Smart Cities Institute
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Hong K. Lo is Dean of Engineering, Chair Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Director of the GREAT Smart Cities Institute at HKUST. He is an accomplished scholar in intelligent transportation systems, smart cities and sustainability. He serves as the founding editor-in-chief of Transportmetrica B: Transport Dynamics and managing editor of the Journal of Intelligent Transportation Systems. He is also director of the HKUST-MTR Joint Research Lab, leveraging AI and other technologies for urban mobility research. Professor Lo has been awarded the prestigious World Conference on Transportation Research Prize, and is a Justice of the Peace, fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, and fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers.
Professor Alexis LAU
Director of the Institute for the Environment
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Alexis Lau leads the Division of Environment and Sustainability at HKUST, also holding roles as Chair Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Institute for the Environment. His research evolved from focusing on air quality, weather, and climate data to explore interdisciplinary areas like health impacts of air exposure, climate resilience, and decarbonization tools, including blockchain for carbon tracking. His contributions include developing systems for air quality studies used in major events like the 2008 Olympic Games. Recognized by Nature China in 2007 for his work on urban modifications affecting local climates, his research influenced Hong Kong's 2013 Clean Air Plan. Prof. Lau has served in various advisory roles, including for the Hong Kong Observatory and the WHO's Air Quality and Health Advisory Group. He's also been involved with the UN's Environmental Sustainable Transport Program, sharing his expertise in air quality management internationally.
Professor Fei CHEN
Professor of Environment & Sustainability
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Fei Chen is currently a professor within the Division of Environment and Sustainability at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Prior to this role, he spent over 26 years at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and led projects to develop the community Noah and Noah-MP land/hydrology models, and the WRF-Urban and WRF-Crop coupled models. These modeling systems have been widely used at international operational weather prediction centers. His research interests and expertise include understanding land-atmosphere interactions and their impacts on boundary layer structures and precipitation. He also investigates the feedback mechanisms between soil moisture, vegetation conditions, land-use and land-cover changes, urbanization, agriculture management, and regional hydroclimate. His research extends to urban heat islands and their adaptation strategies, and urban extreme weather and climate. He serves on the Co-Chair of the UN World Meteorological Organization’s World Weather Research Programme (WWRP) Urban Prediction Project and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) My Climate Risk Scientific Steering Group. He chaired the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Award Nomination Committee and the Board on the Urban Environment. He was an Elected Board Member of the International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC) Board. He was elected to a Fellow of the AMS in 2013 and received the 2018 Helmut E. Landsberg Award from the AMS.
Mr. Marcus LEUNG-SHEA
Acting Director of Sustainability/Net-Zero Office
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Marcus provides leadership for HKUST’s Net-Zero 2045 initiatives, focusing on decarbonisation strategies, adoption of green technologies, and exploring and implementing new-step change initiatives to make sustainability a practical reality on HKUST’s campus. His experience ranges across management consulting, corporate strategy, and entrepreneurship, with a focus on systems thinking and digital transformation. Marcus holds a B.A. in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University, a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from George Mason University, and an MBA from HKUST.
OUR RECEPTION
HKUST hosted a Cocktail Reception in Bangkok on June 12, 2024. The reception was attended by the HKUST delegation led by Vice-President for Institutional Advancement Prof. Yang WANG, along with the presence of Associate Provost (Institutional Data and Research) Dr. Alison LLOYD, Dean of Engineering Prof. Hong LO and Director of the Institute for the Environment Prof. Alexis LAU. Nearly 100 partners, alumni and friends from around the world joined the Reception to reconnect and forge new connections with each other.