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CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia held a forum titled ‘Sustainable Consumption’ in the Cheng Yu Tung Building at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) last Friday (29 July). The forum, which falls under the Environment and Climate Change Forum Series, gathered experts from different sectors to share their knowledge about, and insights into, the promotion of sustainable consumption in Hong Kong. About 200 participants from the public and private sectors, local schools and tertiary institutions attended the event. 

Prof. Wong Yuk-shan, Chairman of the Consumer Council and President of the Open University of Hong Kong, was the keynote speaker. Other guest speakers included Mr Cheung Chi-wah, Senior Head of the Climate & Footprint Programmes, World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong, and Ms Toby Lam, Founder of LastbutnotLeast. The forum was chaired by Dr Clara Kan, Lecturer in the School of Journalism and Communication, CUHK. 

In the forum, Professor Wong pointed out that sustainable consumption doesn’t mean no consumption or even necessarily less consumption, so it doesn’t mean a poorer economy and lower quality of life. What it entails, he explained, is engaging in smart consumption, by manufacturers and consumers working together to minimize the negative environmental impact of consumer products. To accomplish this, manufacturers must use resources as efficiently as possible and consumers must make lifestyle choices that produce less waste and pollution. Professor Wong remarked that consumers have the power to influence the attitudes and operations of businesses and encourage the government to take action. He stressed that if individuals, society, the government and the commercial sector cooperate sincerely, we can build a foundation of sustainable consumption in Hong Kong. 

During the question and answer session, participants asked about the implementation of sustainable consumption, resulting in a fruitful discussion with the speakers.  

CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia

CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia is a five-year community engagement programme, launched in 2012 by CUHK, with a generous donation of HK$70 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. In support of Gaia’s commitment to paving the way to a sustainable future for Hong Kong, the programme’s aim is to promote environmental conservation and sustainability in local communities, through public education and carbon reduction partnerships with schools and non-governmental organisations. 

To draw on the collective wisdom in the community and to encourage active public participation in tackling various environmental issues, CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia has organised the Environment and Climate Change Forum Series. The forums invite experts and practitioners from different fields, as well as members of the public, to offer different perspectives on our environmental challenges and the impact of climate change, and to propose feasible solutions. 

The first of its kind in the world, the Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change (MoCC), maintained by Gaia, is open to the public with free admission. The MoCC showcases the ‘Three Poles’ (the North Pole, the South Pole and Mount Everest) collection of renowned Hong Kong explorer Dr Rebecca Lee, innovative research on the environment, energy and sustainability initiated by CUHK, and the Jockey Club’s initiatives to promote green living in the community. 

More details of the CUHK Jockey Club Initiative Gaia can be found at www.cuhk.edu.hk/gaia.