The 14th Annual Columbia China Business Conference was held on May 19, 2022. The conference had 6 panel discussions on healthcare, ESG, capital market, sports, technology, and women in business.  

With 5 panelists, the ESG panel was focused on the future of ESG development in China Greater Bay Area. The China GBA is a metropolis area comprised of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and many other adjacent cities in Guangdong Province, with a population of over 60 million and an annual GDP over 1.7 trillion. As one of the most important and robust metropolises in China, GBA plays a vital role in China’s 2050 Carbon Neutrality Plan.  

The panelists see more collaborations between Hong Kong and mainland cities in GBA by further promoting talent, capital and information mobility as well as developing more advanced logistics infrastructures. For example, taking advantage of Hong Kong’s healthcare resources and GBA’s land availability could be a feasible approach to addressing issues arising with the aged population, Dr. Henry Ho, founder and chairman of One Country Twe Systems Youth Forum, mentioned.  

Candy Nip, director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York, highlighted the Hong Kong Government’s strong commitment in ESG. “Over the past several decades, the Hong Kong Government has spent over 6 billion USD on decarbonization, and another 30 billion USD is to come in the next 20 years.”  Private sectors are also proactively participating in ESG transformations for industry sectors. Prof. Steven Wong and his organization developed a 4D digital application for carbon planning and tracking that enables business leaders and policy makers to make informed decisions in an ESG content.