How prepared is Hong Kong for climate change challenges? asks RICS

Urgent need to make HK a ‘resilient city’ at heart of coming built environment summit

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - 26 April 2019 - The RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) will take a leading role in outlining the urgent measures needed to face ever-growing environmental challenges, with preparing for climate change the central theme of the RICS Hong Kong Annual Conference, to be hosted at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong on Friday 24 May 2019.

More than four hundred city leaders, policymakers, academics, and professionals are expected to gather for the summit, which is subtitled "Resilient and sustainable: Putting the green revolution at the forefront of our future". This theme is a direct response to the growing awareness and risks of climate-induced catastrophes, and the programme will cover emerging industry trends -- such as green finance, sustainable investment and ESG -- while discussing how Hong Kong can better equip itself as a "Resilient City".

The programme will begin with an opening address from Guest of Honour Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, GBM, GBS, JP, the Government of Hong Kong SAR's Chief Secretary for Administration. Among the headline speakers and panellists set to appear across four themed sections are Professor Christine Loh, Chief Development Strategist at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer at City Developments Limited (CDL); Bryant Lu, Vice Chairman of renowned architects Ronald Lu & Partners; John Sayer, the Director of Carbon Care Asia and Research Director of CarbonCare InnoLab; Brian Ho, Partner, Climate Change & Sustainability Services at EY; and Eric Yau, Chief Strategy Officer at The Link Asset Management Limited.

"In 2018, an estimated US$200 billion was lost globally due to the effects of extreme weather patterns," said Ms Clare Chiu, RICS' Chief Operating Officer for Greater China. "The devastation caused by disasters such as Typhoon Mangkhut leaves no doubt that climate change has become one of the most defining issues of our time.

"The built environment sector has a key part to play in ensuring our city is prepared for the challenges ahead, and I am confident the programme of the RICS Annual Conference will help prepare professionals and policymakers, and inspire the solutions which will ensure a safer, more sustainable city for future generations."

Find out more here: rics.org/hkconf2019

About RICS

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RICS promotes and enforces the highest professional qualifications and standards in the development and management of land, real estate, construction and infrastructure. Our name promises the consistent delivery of standards -- bringing confidence to the markets we serve.

We accredit 125,000 professionals and any individual or firm registered with RICS is subject to our quality assurance. Their expertise covers property, asset valuation, real estate management; the development of infrastructure; and the management of natural resources, such as mining, farms and woodland. From environmental assessments and building controls to negotiating land rights in an emerging economy; if our members are involved the same professional standards and ethics apply.

We believe that standards underpin effective markets. With up to seventy per cent of the world's wealth bound up in land and real estate, our sector is vital to economic development, helping to support stable, sustainable investment and growth around the globe.

With offices covering the major political and financial centres of the world, our market presence means we are ideally placed to influence policy and embed professional standards. We work at a cross-governmental level, delivering international standards that will support a safe and vibrant marketplace in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure, for the benefit of all.

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