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Talent Development in Environmental, Social and Governance
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Session Host
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Professor Eric Tsang Po Keung
Professor (Practice), Department of Science and Environmental Studies; Registrar;
Executive Co-Director, Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures,
The Education University of Hong Kong
Biography
Professor Tsang holds a bachelor’s degree in science from the University of Birmingham (UK), and a master of science degree and a PhD from Queen’s University Belfast (UK). He also obtained a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Distinction) at The University of Hong Kong.
Professor Tsang is an environmental scientist by training, specialising in the application of nanotechnology to remove pollutants from various types of environmental samples. In recent years, he has been commissioned by various bodies, such as the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, the Environment and Conservation Fund, the Quality Education Fund, and private funds to conduct contract research projects. Professor Tsang also specialises in environmental education research, particularly in the evaluation of environmental education programmes, and was one of the pioneers of the Green School initiative. In recognition of his role in promoting collaboration between Hong Kong and mainland China, Professor Tsang was appointed visiting professor by Northeast Normal University and South China Normal University. He was also appointed founding director of the Hong Kong and Guangzhou Centre for Environmental and Science Education in South China Normal University.
Professor Tsang is active in the community, having been appointed chairman and member of numerous high-level government committees, such as the Transport Advisory Committee, the Advisory Council on the Environment, and the Environment and Conservation Fund. He also acted as a community leader in promoting green culture through his role as the chairman of Green Power, a major green NGO in Hong Kong, and served as a member of funding bodies, such as the Environment and Conservation Fund, for vetting research applications.
Internationally, Professor Tsang was appointed as a panel member (outreach panel) of the International Year of Global Understanding, launched by the International Geographical Union and UNESCO.
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Speakers
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Dr Tan Weiqiang
Programme Leader of Master of Arts in Personal Finance Education;
Associate Professor, Department of Social Sciences
The Education University of Hong Kong
Biography
Dr Tan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Sciences. He is the Programme Leader of Master of Arts in Personal Finance Education. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric Science from Nanjing University and a Ph.D. in finance from the Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China.
His research interests focus on Household finance, Financial education, and Financial Technology. His research papers have been published in the international peer-reviewed journals such as Journal of Financial Economics, Management Science, Journal of Corporate Finance, Journal of Business Ethics, Financial Management, and Journal of Banking and Finance.
He has extensive experience in providing consultancy service to the industrial enterprises. He has received the Faculty Awards for Outstanding Performance in Teaching (Individual Award) 2018/19 and Research Output Award of Dean’s Research Fund 2021/22. He also won the 2022 Investor and Financial Education Award (Teacher Division) – Bronze Award.
Abstract
Title: Building a Sustainable and Resilient Economy: Drivers of Policy and Capital Markets
The session will share how the synergistic drivers of public policy and financial markets reshape our global economy. With climate change posing unprecedented risks to economic stability, nations worldwide are committing to ambitious decarbonisation targets. We will anchor our discussion in these national plans, with a special focus on China’s commitment to peak carbon by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060—a goal that is catalysing an estimated 487 trillion RMB in green investments over the next three decades. Hong Kong's pivotal role as a leading green finance hub in Asia, channeling capital to and from the mainland, will also be highlighted.
The core of the presentation will demonstrate how policy and capital markets are actively shaping corporate and governmental behaviour to enhance sustainability and resilience. A key focus will be on the emergence of transition finance, a critical framework to support high-carbon industries in their low-carbon transformation, mitigating risks like the potential 30-80% valuation drop for high-carbon assets identified in recent studies. By examining real-world instruments like sustainability-linked bonds and the G20's common frameworks, we will illustrate how this powerful duo of policy and finance is not just mitigating risks but actively building a more robust and sustainable economic future.
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Ms To Pui Wai, Olivia
Senior Vice President (Sustainability) Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Invest Hong Kong;
Academy Fellow and Advisor, Academy for Applied Policy Studies and Education Futures, The Education University of Hong Kong
Biography
Olivia To is Senior Vice President (Sustainability) Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Invest Hong Kong, the government department responsible for attracting and facilitating foreign direct investment into Hong Kong. She is a sustainability professional specialising in climate change and green technology.
In her previous role at the Environmental Protection Department of HKSARG, she worked with directorates to prepare Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 and carbon accounting. She is an engineer by training, certified carbon auditor, carbon trader and WELL AP. She serves as an Academy Fellow and Advisor at The Education University of Hong Kong, the Advisory Committee Member of the Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality at the University of Hong Kong and a member of Committee of the Energy Institute.
She holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering and management from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and a bachelor’s degree in Global Environmental Studies from The Education University of Hong Kong. As a rescue diver, she continues her passion in marine conservation at leisure.
Abstract
Title: The Future of Green Technology: Hong Kong's Strategic Position as a Global Gateway
With the global shift towards net-zero, Hong Kong is cementing its status as the International Green Tech and Green Finance Center. In this session, Olivia To, Senior Vice President (Sustainability) at InvestHK, will illustrate how Hong Kong serves as the strategic gateway for international enterprises to tap into the vast green economy opportunities across Mainland China and the global market.
Leveraging InvestHK’s latest insights at the "Hong Kong's Path to Carbon Neutrality: Guide to Navigate the Green Tech Market" report, we will explore the city's thriving green ecosystem, supported by a diverse pool of international talent and global investor interest. Hong Kong offers an unparalleled platform for scaling sustainable solutions. We will also showcase successful stories of global firms and startups which have utilized Hong Kong's strategic position to expand their carbon-neutral technologies. We will discover how InvestHK provides one-stop support for overseas and Chinese Mainland enterprises to land, thrive and go international, leading the global green transition.
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