UN-FIRST Programme Steering Committee Convenes Inaugural Meeting to Advance Global Sustainable Development
Attendees of the meeting (Left to right, top to bottom): Prof. Edwin Tso (SEE, CityUHK), Prof. Alex Jen (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, CityUHK), Prof. Anderson Shum (Vice-President (Research), CityUHK), Prof. Angus Yip (Hong Kong Institute for Clean Energy, CityUHK), Prof. Harm-Anton Klok (Director, Institute of Materials, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Distinguished Visiting Professor, CityUHK), Prof. Yongguan Zhu (Director General, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Prof. Carol Lin (SEE, CityUHK), Prof. Paola Laurino (Director, OIST Energy neXus), Prof. Keshav Dani (Director, OIST Energy neXus), Prof. Benjamin Horton (SEE, CityUHK), Prof. Damien Batstone (Director of the Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland), Prof. Kenneth Leung (Director, State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Health, CityUHK), and Prof. Julie Li (Department of Marketing, CityUHK)
The inaugural meeting of the Steering Committee of the Fostering Innovation for Resilience and Sustainable Transformation (FIRST) programme—spearheaded by the City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and endorsed by UNESCO under the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033)—was successfully held online on 11 August 2025.
Chaired by Ir Prof. Edwin Tso, Programme Director of FIRST and Associate Dean (Internationalisation and Outreach) at the School of Energy and Environment (SEE), CityUHK, the virtual session marked a significant milestone in defining the strategic direction of the programme. It brought together a distinguished panel of Steering Committee members, all of whom are leading experts in sustainability-related fields. While not all members were able to attend, those present engaged in meaningful dialogue to shape the programme’s vision and collaborative roadmap.
To foster a spirit of collaboration, participating members introduced their backgrounds and areas of expertise, showcasing the committee’s diverse strengths in energy innovation, environmental biotechnology, marine health, and sustainability sciences. This exchange laid the foundation for interdisciplinary synergy throughout the programme.
Prof. Tso then presented a comprehensive overview of the FIRST programme, highlighting its mission to promote global collaboration, sustainability and resilience. The programme aims to generate lasting socioeconomic impact through four core technology pillars: passive radiative cooling coatings, affordable printable solar films, biomass waste-to-energy conversion, and human-powered sanitation systems for potable water.
The meeting also addressed key elements of the programme’s timeline and implementation strategy, including the upcoming launch of the first pilot site in Hunan, China, scheduled for later this year. Members provided valuable feedback and engaged in dialogue on enhancing the programme’s inclusiveness, outreach, and technical direction. These insights will play a crucial role in shaping actionable strategies for the next phase of development.
Firmly aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the FIRST programme places particular emphasis on:
- SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation
- SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy
- SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
- SDG 13 – Climate Action
With a strong commitment to community engagement, local capacity building, and job creation, the programme aims to deliver scalable, interdisciplinary solutions that can uplift underprivileged communities and address pressing global challenges.
As the FIRST programme continues to expand, the Steering Committee and all team members look forward to deepening global collaborations and achieving measurable impact through innovation, resilience, and sustainable transformation.
For more information, please visit the official website: https://un-first.cityu.edu.hk/.