IN DETAIL: SUSTAINABILITY
Think Smart Creating a smarter, more sustainable city starts with government but extends to businesses and the wider community. – By Pat Woo
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city’s liveability goes to the heart of the wellbeing and quality of life for its citizens. In the coming decade, Hong Kong’s liveability will be influenced by factors such as its built and natural environments, access to efficient and cost-effective government services, mobility, education and employment opportunities, and the welfare of its most disadvantaged citizens. Meanwhile, the city’s physical sustainability will be shaped by its resilience to climate change and its management of scarce resources. Creating a “smart city” must include measures to make Hong Kong both more liveable and more sustainable, with technology as a key enabler. The Hong Kong government has set a number of targets for sustainability in its Climate Action Plan 2030+. These targets include a 26% to 36% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 from 2005 levels, a progressive switch from coal to natural gas for electricity generation, and a pledge to have 3% to 4% of energy generated from renewables by 2030. The Scheme of Control Agreements with Hong Kong’s utility companies currently in place are a key component to work towards this transition. As the government moves forward with its sustainability plans, a KPMG survey finds that Hong Kong-based businesses are increasingly focused on reducing their impact on climate change, but there is further room for improvement. The survey, part of KPMG’s third annual white paper on Hong Kong’s smart city development,
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published in cooperation with CLP, Cyberport, HKBN JOS, Smart City Consortium, Siemens, Weave CoLiving and Wilson Group, polled 430 executives from corporate enterprises, small- and medium-sized businesses, start-ups, government, not-for-profit organisations and academia across a broad range of sectors in Hong Kong, looking at how effective governance, smart infrastructure and innovation can be used to address the city’s biggest urban challenges. More than a third (36%) of respondents consider investing in technology improvements to reduce or monitor energy use, their carbon footprint or waste levels as their top Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) priority. Integrating ESG initiatives into the organisation’s overall digital transformation strategy was also a priority for 34% of organisations, with large businesses most likely to be doing this, at 41%. Just over a third (34%) of respondents also say promoting a carbon neutral or zero waste culture is a priority.
