Inspired by Greta
By : Eva Choy
The environmentalist Greta Thunberg did more than deliver a speech on climate change at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in December 2019 in Madrid. She inspired a CityU alumna.
After listening to Greta speak in Madrid, Ms Tina Kwan Wing-ki pledged to fight even harder to promote a low-carbon concept and a more sustainable lifestyle in Hong Kong.
Tina has always loved the natural world. Instead of spending her youth on an urban lifestyle, she preferred the refreshing wind, warm sunlight and sounds of nature while out hiking. She can spend a whole day in the countryside, far from the din of the city.
“I decided when I was still quite young to choose an environment-related job to protect Mother Earth,” she recalls.
Tina’s decision to major in environmental science and management at CityU was an obvious choice.
CityU’s environmental conservation and resources management course, which involved a 4-day field visit to local environmentally friendly social enterprises and recycling facilities, was a particularly eye-opening experience.
Tina also learnt at CityU about environmental measures and management methods for conserving natural resources, and that to maintain a sustainable world, we need to balance different aspects of the environment with economic and social factors.
“My studies at CityU, as well as the advice and guidance from my teachers and fellow students, helped me realise my dream by providing me with knowledge and insight,” she says.
“A carbon tax may reduce carbon emissions by inducing the business sector to develop and implement relevant solutions and policies.”After graduation she joined CarbonCare InnoLab (CCIL), which aims at alleviating climate change and promoting the use of clean energy, enabling her to utilise what she learnt while studying at CityU.
By providing coaching and funding for the development of high-impact solutions for climate change, Tina has met many people who are passionate climate innovators. “Their determination has inspired me to keep moving along the environmental activism path,” she says.
Her work also involves cooperation with her alma mater. Professor Michael Leung Kwok-hi of the School of Energy and Environment serves as an advisor to CCIL. “Professor Leung gives invaluable advice about our projects and future plans for serving the community. He also invited us to the launch of his eco-friendly antifouling paint!” she says.
Tina’s efforts to protect Mother Earth reached a new level when she became one of the ten Hong Kong delegates participating at COP25 in Madrid. She had the opportunity to attend council meetings, talks and workshops on topics such as climate science, green finance and nature-based solutions.
She also joined in negotiations with leaders from different countries and the United Nations, for instance, the open dialogue with Ms Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, where she could express her opinion from a youth perspective and get involved in a high-level dialogue on climate change issues.
Not only that, Tina’s experience at COP25 offered her new insights into a much broader range of environment-related topics such as gender and climate, ocean and coastal zone, and the agri-food chain, among others.
Tina promotes clean energy to local NGO.“I learned that we can minimise the impact of climate change. For instance, a carbon tax may reduce carbon emissions by inducing the business sector to develop and implement relevant solutions and policies,” she says.
Tina believes a lot of work is needed to enhance the awareness of Hong Kong people about environmental issue. Together with her team, Tina will continue to empower social innovation and invite people to work on carbon reduction for a more sustainable world.