Croucher Foundation’s Climate Change Survey highlights Hong Kong risks
Scientists in Hong Kong have developed a deep understanding of the local climate system through years of observations, theory development, and model building. However, accessing this research, and identifying which data is most relevant for a local organisation, can be a daunting task.
The Climate Change Survey presents a selection of the most important climate change impact information relevant to Hong Kong organisations. This collection of Hong Kong-based research identifies physical risks including sea-level rise, flooding, tropical storms, extreme heat, and landslides.
The survey is available free online.
The publication of this survey coincides with a global movement towards mandatory climate-related financial disclosures. In Hong Kong, the Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group, co-chaired by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Securities and Futures Commission, is coordinating this initiative.
Organisations can use the Climate Change Survey to learn about the physical risks that climate change poses to their infrastructure, employees, brand, and business, and thereby improve their risk reporting and management.
“Companies and organisations around the globe are grappling with climate change risk assessments, and independently reviewing the vast amount of potentially relevant information can be daunting. This selection of the most relevant and applicable information, created through local research, informs and enables Hong Kong stakeholders to take concrete steps towards forming risk assessment and management plans to ensure a more sustainable future for us all,” said Sophia Zhu, a Trustee of the Croucher Foundation, and Head of Compliance Testing, APAC, Citigroup
Public Collaboration
Croucher Foundation is exploring additional ways to help the general public, including the business community, utilise this survey as a material risk assessment tool in Hong Kong. The Foundation seeks to strengthen the ties between scientists and government, businesses, and regulators for a more informed and united response to climate change.
Climate change is an interconnected and multidimensional problem. We need a holistic and collaborative approach to better understand the impacts of climate change and what actions can be taken to safeguard our future.
“I’m thrilled to share my academic research on climate change and health with a broader audience and have it applied in a practical way right here in Hong Kong. The ultimate goal of scientists is to generate knowledge that can make our lives healthier, safer and more sustainable, and the Climate Change Survey is an important step toward that goal,” said Professor Emily Ying-yang Chan, Director of the Collaborating Centre for Oxford University and CUHK for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response (CCOUC).
About the Survey
https://croucherclimatechange.hk
The Climate Change Survey provides a foundational set of scientific data related to climate change risks in Hong Kong. The survey also identifies areas of data collection and study that need additional attention and resources.
The Foundation reviewed more than 1,000 scientific publications written by the local and international academic community, and collaborated with organisations from various sectors to find new ways to assess climate-related risk. Climate change risks are highly heterogeneous and so regional data is essential for local risk assessment. With a focus on Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, the Foundation selected 20 peer-reviewed papers, which collectively cover the core risks of climate change.
“Climate change health hazards pose an increasing risk to Hong Kong, its people and businesses. Failing to manage these risks could cause financial loss, injury and worse. Learning about the risks and finding ways to mitigate them are a key part of addressing climate change. The Climate Change Survey makes it easier for organisations to take action and future proof themselves,” Professor Chan said.
This review was conducted in consultation with the academics that authored the papers, who helped nominate the final selection. All papers were written after the release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report in 2013, which ensures that all papers are based on the latest climate change models.
The Foundation continues to collaborate with universities and government organisations in order to encourage more climate change research in Hong Kong. We are also working to make Hong Kong research and data more accessible to the public for the purpose of mitigating local climate change risks.