Hong Kong's Environment Secretary Highlights Climate Action at COP30 in Brazil, Aims for Carbon Neutrality by 2050

SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil

​The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, attended the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, on November 11 (Belém time). He met with the Chinese delegation and delivered a speech at the China Pavilion's side event.

In the morning, Mr Tse, together with the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying, and the Commissioner for Climate Change of the Environment and Ecology Bureau, Mr Arthur Lee, met with the head of the Chinese delegation, Mr Li Gao, to exchange views on the work of the country and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on climate change actions and green transition.

In the afternoon, Mr Tse attended the China Pavilion's side event, guided by the Department of Climate Change of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) and cohosted by the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the HKSAR Government, Friends of the Earth (HK) and the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council. The side event, titled Converging Innovation in Hong Kong: Forging a Resilient City and a Global Green Finance Hub, focused on exploring Hong Kong's role, achievements, and strategies in addressing climate change. Key discussion areas include climate action, energy transition, green and sustainable finance, climate resilience enhancement, and strengthening regional and international co-operation frameworks.

In his opening speech, Mr Tse said that, to tackle climate change, Hong Kong stopped building coal-fired power plants in 1997 and reached its carbon peak in 2014. Greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by about a quarter now, compared to the peak in 2014. The per-capita greenhouse gas emissions fell nearly 30 per cent to below 4.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is about a quarter of that of the United States and 60 per cent of the European Union.

Mr Tse added that Hong Kong targets to reduce Hong Kong's emissions by half before 2035, and achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. He shared that the HKSAR Government has put forward a four-pronged strategy in the Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050: namely net-zero electricity supply, energy saving and green buildings, green transport, and zero waste landfilling. Related energy measures include stopping the use of coal for power generation by 2035, increasing the share of zero carbon electricity supply to over 60 per cent, and publishing the Strategy of Hydrogen Development in Hong Kong last year to build a framework environment to the local development of hydrogen in a prudent and orderly manner.

He said that Hong Kong is also progressing well in promoting green transport. Out of 10 newly registered private cars, seven are now electric. A public charging network based on super-fast charging technologies is being developed and an electric vehicle battery recycling facility will be put into operation next year.

On waste-to-energy, the first large-scale waste-to-energy facility is coming into operation this month and the second one is being tendered for completion by 2030. Hong Kong is also working with the Chinese Mainland to develop a production base for sustainable aviation fuel in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-MacaoGreater Bay area as well as gearing up to develop Hong Kong into a green maritime fuel bunkering and trading centre.

Regarding green finance, Mr Tse stated that as an international financial centre and sustainable finance hub in Asia, Hong Kong can help channel international capital to support the green transition. He illustrated, with an example, that as of October 2025, the HKSAR Government has issued green bonds totalling an equivalent of about US$31 billion. Furthermore, the Hong Kong Sustainability Disclosure Standards was implemented to fully align with the global baseline set by the International Sustainability Standards Board.

Mr Tse expressed that international co-operation is critical for tackling the challenge of climate change. "The low carbon green transition is a difficult journey, and yet it has opened up many new collaboration opportunities. Hong Kong looks forward to working hand in hand with all of you to build a climate resilient and sustainable future for our next generations," said Mr Tse.

Other guest speakers at the event included the President of the BRI International Green Development Coalition and former Vice Minister of the MEE, Mr Zhao Yingmin; the Chairman of the Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development, Dr Lam Ching-choi;the Secretary General of ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Mr Gino Van Begin; and Vice-Chairperson of Friends of the Earth (HK) Ms Ophelia Lin.

Mr Poon and Mr Lee also spoke at the roundtable forum of the side event to exchange views with other speakers on accelerating energy transition and achieving carbon neutrality. Dr Lam spoke at another forum session to exchange views with other speakers on the topic of Building Climate-Resilient Cities: Managing Climate and Health Risks.

SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

SEE attends COP30 China Pavilion's side event in Brazil Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Hong Kong Customs combats counterfeit goods activities and seizes suspected counterfeit goods worth over $36 million ahead of Christmas

​Hong Kong Customs conducted a two-week enforcement operation codenamed "Santa Guardian" from December 8 to 19 to combat counterfeit goods activities involving cross-boundary transshipments with the approach of Christmas. During the operation, Customs detected 28 related cases and seized about 83 000 suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of over $36 million.

Customs discovered that criminals intended to ship counterfeit goods abroad via Hong Kong to meet the huge shopping demand with the approach of Christmas. As such, through risk assessment, Customs inspected one incoming lorry at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port Inbound Cargo Examination Building. After inspection, Customs officers seized about 3 600 suspected counterfeit goods with an estimated market value of about $3.1 million.

Moreover, through intelligence analysis and detailed investigations, 27 related cases were uncovered in a number of local logistics companies. In the operation, Customs officers mounted strike-and-search actions against multiple logistics companies, seizing about 79 000 suspected counterfeit goods, including watches, bags, footwear and clothing, with a total estimated market value of about $33 million.

Investigations of the abovementioned cases are ongoing.

Customs appeals to consumers to purchase goods at reputable shops or websites and to check with the trademark or copyright owners or authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt to avoid buying counterfeit or infringing goods.

Customs reminds practitioners in the logistics industry to comply with the requirements of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO) and to check with the trademark owners or authorised agents if the authenticity of a product is in doubt when handling cargoes. The department also reminds traders or online sellers not to sell counterfeit or infringing goods and to be cautious and prudent in merchandising since selling counterfeit or infringing goods is a serious crime and offenders are liable to criminal sanctions.

Customs will continue to step up inspections and conduct intelligence-led enforcement to vigorously combat different types of counterfeit and infringing goods activities.

Under the TDO, any person who imports or exports or sells or possesses for sale any goods to which a forged trademark is applied commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.

Members of the public may report any suspected counterfeiting activities to Customs' 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).

Hong Kong Customs combats counterfeit goods activities and seizes suspected counterfeit goods worth over $36 million ahead of Christmas Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases