Latest news with #CivicExchange
HKFP
01-08-2025
- Business
- HKFP
Gov't-supported youth climate scheme accepting funds from ExxonMobil, world's 5th largest historic polluter
A government-supported youth climate ambassadorship programme is accepting funding from a fossil fuel giant, a move one environmental scholar has called 'hypocritical.' Civic Exchange's annual Young Environment Ambassador (YEA) Programme – launched in 2021 to 'empower the next generation of environmental leaders' – counts ExxonMobil among its three funding organisations. The petrochemical company told HKFP that the funding spans the programme's entire duration. The other two funding organisations listed on the YEA webpage include Swire Properties and the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation HK. Several government departments and the Martine Museum are listed as supporters. The US-headquartered oil and gas firm is rated the fifth top historic polluter by emissions, according to an Influence Map report based on 2023 data. It has been responsible for 2.76 per cent of all global carbon dioxide emissions, behind the former Soviet Union, China between 1945 and 2004, and fellow oil firms Saudi Aramco and Chevon. When approached by HKFP, Civic Exchange did not respond as to how much ExxonMobil contributed, what proportion of funds were involved or why they were accepted as a programme sponsor. However, Executive Director Lawrence Iu said on Tuesday that the think tank aimed to 'engage stakeholders' in the city's most pressing environmental challenges: 'We maintain full editorial and programme independence, and all funders—regardless of sector—play no role in shaping our priorities or directing our work.' Though the YEA website hails Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg, the activist has repeatedly criticised the involvement of oil giants at climate talks. 'Hypocritical in the extreme' On July 19, the YEA programme onboarded 30 Form 3 to Form 5 students at a ceremony attended by Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology Diane Wong. In response to HKFP on Tuesday, ExxonMobil Hong Kong said it invests in the communities where they operate, though it also dodged questions over the proportion and amount of funds involved in the YEA sponsorship. 'We engage with key stakeholders, including governments and NGOs, to identify the best way to support each community's unique development goals. We often participate in public-private partnerships to create long-term, positive economic and social development… We do not interfere in how the funding is utilized within the programme or the programme's operation,' ExxonMobil Hong Kong said. Paul G. Harris, professor of global and environmental studies at the Education University of Hong Kong, told HKFP on Thursday that – even if not intended – Civic Exchange may have helped the oil firm greenwash their practices. '[F]or any organisation that claims to care about the environment, and the climate crisis in particular, to accept funding from Exxon seems hypocritical in the extreme,' Harris said. 'It's hard to identify any corporation — or indeed any entity — anywhere in the world that has done more to both cause the climate crisis and, very importantly, to sow doubt about the need for urgent action to curtail the use of fossil fuels.' 'Civic Exchange should know better, at least if it wants to be trusted on any environmental credentials, than to join the list of organizations that have accepted funding from Exxon. Civic Exchange may enjoy a financial windfall from Exxon's support, but the result is moral bankruptcy. Alas, in a world — and a city — addicted to fossil fuels, this may not harm Civic Exchange's bottom line. Money talks,' he added. In response to HKFP on Wednesday, local environmentalist Paule De La Poype questioned whether it is 'better for ExxonMobil to be supporting this kind of youth program, or to continue funding climate change denying scientific reports, given its historic record in that regard.' She said securing funds can be difficult, though it would be preferable if oil firms were not involved. She added that it would be essential to ensure ExxonMobil does not interfere in the programme: 'Perhaps having an external observer supervising the preparation and delivery would be a way for Civic Exchange to reassure the public.' 5th top historic polluter, 15th in 2023 In 2023, ExxonMobil was 15th top polluting entity of that year, according to the Influence Map report. The company was also a driving force of climate change denialism until the mid-2000s. Though it has since acknowledged that burning fossil fuels adds to global warming, a 2023 Wall Street Journal report said that a culture of denialism continued internally for years afterwards. When HKFP cited the report – which was based on the company's own internal documents – ExxonMobil said that 'debating the past may generate interesting headlines but as we have said, time and time again, climate change is real, and we have an entire business dedicated to reducing emissions.' 'We are pursuing up to US$30 billion in lower emission investments between 2025 and 2030, which include carbon capture and storage (CCS), hydrogen, lithium, and lower emission fuels (LEF), among others,' the firm added, saying it was the first supplier of renewable diesel for public road use. On Tuesday, the Independent reported that the oil giant is one of several facing a lawsuit in Honolulu, Hawaii over their historic greenhouse gas emissions. Last year, 50 leading scientists warned that global warming has accelerated at an 'unprecedented' pace, saying the window to limit rising temperatures within internationally-set targets was closing.
HKFP
28-07-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Hong Kong urged to strengthen climate action after ‘historic' ruling by UN court
The Hong Kong government has been urged to strengthen its policies to tackle the climate crisis following a key advisory ruling by the United Nations' top court last week. During some seven months of deliberation, 15 judges at the International Court of Justice were tasked with considering the 'obligations of states in respect to climate change.' According to the landmark ruling, countries are legally bound to reduce their emissions, as well as compensate those affected by the climate crisis. It asserted that there was an 'urgent and existential threat' to humanity, with greenhouse gas emissions 'unequivocally' caused by human activity. 'The consequences of climate change are severe and far-reaching. They affect both natural ecosystems and human populations. These consequences underscore the urgent and existential threat posed by climate change,' Judge Yuji Iwasawa, the ICJ president, said on Wednesday. Litigants can now cite the advisory opinion in future climate-related litigation. Aim for 1.5°C target Greenpeace Hong Kong told HKFP on Thursday that 'Hong Kong as a responsible city, must also strengthen its policies to support the globe to achieve the more ambitious 1.5°C target in the coming update of the Climate Action Plan.' Launched in 2021, Climate Action Plan 2050 (CAP2050) lays out multiple decarbonisation strategies – such as net-zero electricity generation and green transport – with an aim to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050. Net zero refers to achieving a balance between the production and removal of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in order to slow the progression of global warming. The overarching goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement, adopted by 195 parties at the UN Climate Change Conference, is to limit the global temperature rise to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. In the long term, further efforts are required in the pursuit of a 1.5°C target. A spokesperson for Ark Eden, an eco-education centre on Lantau Island, called the climate change ruling a 'historic milestone,' particularly for biodiversity advocacy and for the potential impact on future environmental litigation in local courts. 'By affirming the legal right to a healthy environment, it places a binding obligation on all states to protect the natural world – a powerful reinforcement of every citizen's right to demand climate justice,' said the Ark Eden spokesperson. 'For species on the brink, this ruling could be a game-changer.' Public readiness Civic Exchange, a local public-policy think tank, said that Hong Kong has shown steady climate progress, such as through the city's CAP2025. Civic Exchange Executive Director Lawrence Iu told HKFP that, on a regional scale, the city made some of the most significant greenhouse gas emission reductions in Asia. 'Between 2014 and 2022, Hong Kong reduced its [greenhouse gas] emissions by 24%, with electricity-related emissions dropping by nearly 33%,' he wrote. Iu also said that, if the government were to become more ambitious in their climate policies and actions, Hongkongers should be 'prepared to shoulder some of the associated costs.' 'Ultimately, Hong Kong's ability to move faster will hinge not only on technical feasibility or government leadership, but also on public readiness to participate in and support the transition,' he added. Others, such as Paul G. Harris, professor of global environmental studies at the Education University of Hong Kong, welcomed the ICJ's ruling, but were more sceptical about how the crisis would be addressed locally. 'First, Hong Kong is not a state, so this ruling, at least for now, is going to be interpreted by [local] officials as not applying to Hong Kong,' he said. Despite having plans to slowly cut the city's greenhouse gas emissions, climate change is not an urgent priority for the government, Harris added. 'I don't think the ICJ ruling will do much, if anything, to cause the [Hong Kong] government to prioritise the climate crisis.'
South China Morning Post
19-07-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong must treasure the natural assets that help make it special
Hong Kong is well-known as a busy and bustling metropolis, with crowded streets, congested roads and tightly-packed skyscrapers. The city's amazing biodiversity, including many endangered species, is not widely appreciated. But flora and fauna is an integral part of what makes Hong Kong special. The city boasts more than 50 types of land-based mammal, over 130 dragonfly species, and 240 kinds of butterfly. There are 580 bird species, 1,000 types of marine fish and 3,300 species of vascular plants. It is imperative that these assets are preserved and able to flourish. Sadly, many are under threat. A two-month public consultation on the updating of Hong Kong's Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan concluded this month. The plan, required by an international convention, was introduced in 2016. The review is a chance to make biodiversity a top priority for all sectors, public and private, and instil a love of nature in the community. Four action areas are highlighted in the document: nature conservation, mainstreaming, capacity building and collaborative partnering. But the most important part is the 10 questions posed to the public at the end. These are broad and open-ended, essentially asking what Hong Kong's vision should be for nature conservation and how to realise it. The government should be very receptive to submissions that can take the strategy to a new level. Think-tank Civic Exchange, in a compelling submission, argues that nature should be integrated into decision-making across public and private sectors, with Hong Kong making an active contribution to the world's efforts to reverse biodiversity loss, becoming a regional leader in the field. It advocates the establishment of a central hub for 'nature-based solutions'.
