The Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition 2018 (2018MIECF) welcomed a world authority on global climate change, current Vice Chair of “The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy” and former Executive Secretary of the “United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change” (2010-2016) Ms. Christiana Figueres, as the keynote speaker. In the speech she analysed how to provide a better living environment for people via ecological design and construction, in order to strengthen a sense of community and well-being among people.

The MIECF event has entered its 11th year of promoting exchanges and co-operation among the “green enterprises” from countries and places covered by the “Belt and Road” initiative, the Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) Region including the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Portuguese-speaking Countries and European countries. The “Green Forum” is one of the key activities of each year’s MIECF.

In her keynote speech at the opening ceremony for 2018MIECF, Ms. Figueres indicated that there is a close relationship between cities and people’s well-being. At present, the environment of many cities is not perfect, indicating opportunities for the development of urban infrastructure. If it is done well, the living standards of residents would be improved, she added. Routes to such development included wider use of clean energy, reduction in private transportation use, improvement of the treatment of solid waste, and the use of ingredients sourced locally or close by, she said.

She pointed out that apart from providing a good living environment, a high-quality city should also be humane in its design. It should be built with a people-focused outlook and provide adequate employment and education opportunities. Residents could share resources with each other, strengthen interactive and caring interpersonal relationships.

Since the Industrial Revolution, economic development had been rapid, but humanity had also paid a great price. Environmental pollution is evidence of the conflict between humans and nature. With the development of science and technology, humanity had now entered a new period of industrial revolution. The development of digitalisation, and of clean energy, among other things, means humans need no longer be in conflict with the Mother Nature. High-tech products could also make human lives more meaningful. As long as user-friendliness is emphasised in the process of urban development, it would not be difficult to build a clean, connected and caring city.

Ms. Figueres will also host the Keynote Speaker Special Session in the afternoon on Friday (13^th April) and interact with attendees. In the speech themed “Shaping Tomorrow’s Eco-cities”, she is to discuss how a city can find a way out of a carbon-intensive economy and consumption model by promoting economic transformation.

This year’s MIECF “Green Forum” has additionally arranged six other sessions, inviting more than 50 people – including environmental pioneers, multinational executives and policy-makers, etc., from Mainland China, Australia, Costa Rica, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, the United States, Hong Kong and Macao and other countries and regions – as guest speakers.

On tomorrow’s morning, the Panel Session “Sustainable and Resilient Eco-Cities – Key Challenges and Opportunities” is to start with “From Design to Reality – Exploring Eco-Cities Case Studies”, covering the discussion about strategies and policies for constructing sustainable and resilient eco-cities. Mr. Li Jun, Deputy Division Chief of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, will be the keynote speaker for this part. The second part, themed “Relationship between Green Buildings & Eco-Cities”, will be hosted by keynote speaker Dr. Ouyang Zhiyun, Director of the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

One of the highlights of the 2018MIECF “Green Forum” is the session “Green Finance Innovation to Achieve Sustainable Development” co-organised with the Monetary Authority of Macao (AMCM). Dr. Ma Jun, a distinguished guest in the field of “green finance”, will be the keynote speaker. Dr. Ma is the current Director of the Center for Finance and Development at the National Institute of Financial Research of Tsinghua University, Chairman of the Green Finance Committee of the China Society for Finance and Banking, and Co-chair of the G20 Green Finance Study Group. His presence ushers in even greater value to the 2018MIECF “Green Forum”.

This year’s MIECF will provide relevant professional certification for each Forum and the attendees thereof, so as to use MIECF more effectively as a sharing platform for professional knowledge.

Serving as an important platform for “green” exchanges in the Pan-Pearl River Delta region, this year’s MIECF specially includes a session focusing on the “green” issues related to the region, which is to be held tomorrow. Mr. Jiang Xiaoting, President of the Environmental Scientific Society of Sichuan Province, is delivering a presentation on the results of a recent business trip to Portugal and Germany – aiming at learning more about the local environmental protection projects – as one of the delegates from the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region. Following on from his presentation, representatives respectively from the China Association of Environmental Protection Industry, the Guangdong Environmental Protection Bureau, the Jiangxi Environmental Protection Industry Association, are delivering presentations on the needs of the environmental protection sector in their respective provinces. Additionally, the Panel Sessions of PPRD Environmental Protection Industry Association, co-organised with the PPRD Environmental Protection Industry Co-operation Commission, will focus on the development, advantages and demands in the environmental protection sectors in Pan Pearl River Delta Region.

Keynote speech by Ms. Christiana Figueres

Participants from across the world listen to the keynote on the development trends of eco-cities and the“green”economy