Eco Expo Asia 2025 Launches with Focus on Green Innovations for Carbon Neutrality

20th Eco Expo Asia opens today

The 20th Eco Expo Asia is being held at AsiaWorld-Expo from today (October 28) to October 31. The theme of the Expo this year is "Green Innovations for Carbon Neutrality". Over 200 officials from around 44 official delegations from the Chinese Mainland, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Belt and Road (B&R) countries, along with industry elites and experts from the environmental sector, attended to exchange and share experiences and technologies on green innovations.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, said, "In the global journey towards sustainability, Hong Kong serves as a 'super connector'. With our unique position as an international city within the Guangdong-Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area and a bridge between the Chinese Mainland and the world, Hong Kong brings together talent, technology, and capital to foster collaboration and scale up green innovation."

Mr Tse announced that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment will sign a co-operation agreement on jointly setting up the Belt and Road Green Development Cooperation Hong Kong platform. The platform will connect the B&R Initiative International Green Development Coalition and promote co-operation between the B&R countries. He also said the HKSAR Government will set up the Sustainable Green Development Training Centre next year to nurture talent in environmental protection.

During the launching ceremony, Mr Tse witnessed the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, exchange a memorandum of co-operation with the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. The memorandum aims to establish the East Asia Hub of the Global Sanitation Graduate Schoolin Hong Kong, providing training in water quality management and sewage treatment.

Vice Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment Mr Yu Huiwen was invited to give a keynote speech at the opening ceremony and witness the Belt and Road Green Cooperation Launching Ceremony. In the Government Session of the Eco Asia Conference, the Deputy Director General of the Department of Energy Conservation and Resources Utilization of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Mr Ding Zhijun, introduced the latest environmental protection and carbon reduction policies on the Chinese Mainland. In addition, the Union Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation of Myanmar, Mr Khin Maung Yi; the Minister of Environment of Sri Lanka, Dr Dammika Patabendige; the Undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources of the Philippines, Mr Joselin Marcus E Fragada; the Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Environment of Cambodia, Ms Meas Chanthyda; the Secretary of the Local Government Division of the Ministry of Local Government of Rural Development and Cooperatives of Bangladesh, Mr Rezaul Maksud Jahedi; the Head of Environmental Affairs of the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates, Ms Mariam Fahed AlZaabi; the Chairman of the Management Board of the International Green Technologies and Investment Projects Centre of Kazakhstan, Mr Saken Kalkamanov; the Deputy Director General of the Viet Nam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Climate Change of Vietnam, Dr Nguyen Quoc Khanh; the Director of the Scientific and Information Centre of the Interstate Commission on Sustainable Development in Tajikistan of the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of Tajikistan, Dr Navruz Khotamov; and the Deputy Director of the Division of Bilateral Cooperation of Department of Planning and Cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of the Lao PDR, Mr Vinoth Vansy, shared various countries' latest environmental protection, conservation and climate change policies.

At the opening ceremony, highlights from the second series of "Enchanting China" produced by the EEB, and the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), in collaboration with the Center for Environmental Education and Communications of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and "Beautiful Hong Kong - Mirs Bay" produced by the EEB, were presented, showcasing the efforts and achievements of the country and the HKSAR Government in environmental protection and nature conservation.

Eco Expo Asia is jointly organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd, and co-organised by the EEB. The EEB is showcasing four exhibition areas at the Expo, focusing on "Smart Environmental Technology", "Waste Reduction and Recycling", "New Energy Transportation" and "Energy Saving and Green Buildings". This year, including the EEB and the EPD, a total of 11 government bureaux and departments are participating in the Expo to introduce environmental measures, technologies, and works projects addressing climate change and collaboratively achieving carbon neutrality goals.

To mark the 35th anniversary of the Environmental Campaign Committee (ECC), the ECC also set up the Environmental Campaign Committee Pavilion at the Expo, supporting 21 environmental technology start-ups to showcase to the public how to integrate artificial intelligence and innovative green technologies to promote environmental initiatives.

Eco Expo Asia will open to the public for free on the last day of the event (October 31) to encourage citizens to participate in environmental protection and promote green living. For details, please refer to Eco Expo Asia's website (www.hktdc.com/event/ecoexpoasia/en).

20th Eco Expo Asia opens today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

20th Eco Expo Asia opens today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

20th Eco Expo Asia opens today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

20th Eco Expo Asia opens today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

20th Eco Expo Asia opens today Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Two men involved in unauthorised transfer of bookings of recreation and sports facilities sentenced to community service orders

Two men involved in the unauthorised transfer of bookings of recreation and sports facilities, charged with "using an identity card relating to another person" and "transferring an identity card to another person" and having pleaded guilty to the charges earlier, were sentenced to community service orders of 80 hours respectively at the Shatin Magistrates' Courts today (January 16). One of them was the original hirer, and his booking right for the use of recreation and sports facilities had already been suspended by theLeisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) for 360 days.

The LCSD conducted a joint operation with law enforcement agencies at the tennis courts in Victoria Park on July 13, 2024, to combat unauthorised transfer of bookings of recreation and sports facilities and other illegal activities. During the operation, one man suspected of using and possessing another person's identity card without reasonable excuse was arrested. Another man involved was subsequently charged with "transferring an identity card to another person".

The LCSD appeals to the public not to engage in any unauthorised transfer of bookings of recreation and sports facilities. Users should not pay scalpers for facility bookings, use another person's identity card, or lend their own identification documents to another person for check-in to use facilities. Users breaching the LCSD's "General Conditions of Use of Leisure and Sports Facilities" or the law will have their rights for booking recreation and sports facilities suspended for 360 days.

SmartPLAY has already incorporated conditions prohibiting the use of computer programmes or other automated tools to make bookings. Starting from January 21, 2026, if users breach the said conditions, the LCSD will immediately suspend their accounts for 360 days without giving any prior notice. The LCSD once again reminds users of the necessity of complying with the "Conditions of Use of SmartPLAY", properly managing the information of their SmartPLAY accounts, and not disclosing their user account numbers and passwords to others. Users having provided their user account numbers and passwords to a third party are advised to change their passwords as soon as possible and regularly to prevent unauthorised use of their accounts.

The LCSD will continue to combat unauthorised transfer and touting of leisure venues and enhance SmartPLAY, as well as implement further anti-touting measures as necessary.

Source: AI-found images