‘Green Forum’

The “Green Forum” takes place on April 12 and 13, featuring a total of six panel sessions and one keynote speaker special session. They are: “Green Economy – The Sustainable Tourism”; “New Pattern in MICE Industry under Eco-Cities Model”; “Sustainable and Resilient Eco-Cities – Key Challenges and Opportunities”; “Green Finance Innovation to Achieve Sustainable Development” (co-organised with the Monetary Authority of Macao); Keynote Speech by Ms. Christiana Figueres; “Green Chemical Forum – Control and Treatment of VOCs Pollution in Petrochemical Industry”; and the “Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Session”.

Keynote speaker

The organisers of 2018MIECF have invited the renowned international expert on global climate change Ms. Christiana Figueres to be the keynote speaker for this year’s event. Her speech addresses the main theme “Shaping of Eco-Cities for Inclusive Green Economy”. Ms. Figueres was Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2010 to 2016. In addition, she founded and directed the Center for Sustainable Development of the Americas (CSDA), and served as Director of the Renewable Energy in the Americas (REIA) initiative. Ms. Figueres is currently: Vice-Chair of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy; a ClimateWorks Foundation Board Member; a World Bank Climate Leader; and Mission2020 Convenor.

• Panel session on “Sustainable and Resilient Eco-Cities – Key Challenges and Opportunities”

The two-part panel session on “Sustainable and Resilient Eco-Cities – Key Challenges and Opportunities” takes place on the morning of April 13.

The first part, titled “From Design to Reality – Exploring Eco-Cities Case Studies”, focuses on strategies and policies that are able to support the development of sustainable and resilient eco-cities, and the challenges related to the implementation of such strategies and policies. Mr. Li Jun, Deputy Division Chief of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China, delivers keynote address in this session. The other speakers are: Prof. Dong Ke, Director of the Research Institute of Eco-Cities at the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, to share his professional insights on studies and projects related to environmental urban planning; Prof. Ellen van Bueren, Professor at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, to share her deep insight regarding her country’s implementation of integrated urban solutions; and Prof. John Thwaites, Professor at the Monash Sustainable Development Institute at Monash University in Australia, to deliver a presentation on “Water, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Future of Cities”. The panel moderator is Ms. Alexandra Ferreira de Carvalho, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Environment, Portugal.

The second part of the session is on the “Relationship between Green Buildings and Eco-Cities”. Dr. Ouyang Zhiyun, Director of the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been invited as the session’s keynote speaker. The other speakers are: Mr. Mark Ginsberg, Senior Fellow of the U.S. Green Building Council, with a talk on “LEED and Arc as Tools to Measure Performance of Buildings and Cities”; Prof. Manuel Duarte Pinheiro, from Portugal’s Técnico Lisboa, University of Lisbon, with a presentation on the opportunities generated by the construction of “green” buildings as part of the development of eco-cities, introducing examples and approaches employed in Portugal; and Mr. Tony Ip, Green Building Faculty Member of the Hong Kong Green Building Council, talking about “green” neighbourhoods in high-density high-rise urban areas. Dr. Wong Seng Fat, Assistant Professor of the Department of Electromechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Macau, is the panel’s moderator.

• Panel session on “Green Finance Innovation to Achieve Sustainable Development”

The panel session on “Green Finance Innovation to Achieve Sustainable Development” takes place on the morning of the second day of MIECF (April 13). During the session – co-organised by the MIECF organisers and the Monetary Authority of Macao – experts are to: share experiences in the development of “green” finance initiatives and the role of such efforts in promoting the development of eco-cities; discuss the international demand for financing tools to support “green” investments, and the frontiers of “green” finance; talk about measures and policies to develop a “green” finance system; and look at the blueprint and policies for the development of Macao’s “green” finance sector.

The panel session organisers are honoured to have Dr. Ma Jun, a highly-respected expert from Mainland China, as session keynote speaker. Dr. Ma is: the Director of the Center for Finance and Development, at the National Institute of Financial Research, 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 participation in the “Green Forum” is undoubtedly one of 2018MIECF’s highlights, helping to raise further the value of the “Green Forum” for the environmental sector.

Mr. Vong Lap Fong, Executive Director of the Board of Directors of the Monetary Authority of Macao, is the panel moderator of this session. Other reknowned speakers scheduled to participate are: Dr. José Agostinho de Matos, Advisor to the Board of the Bank of Portugal; Mr. Wang Jingwu, President of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) Guangzhou Branch; Mr. Li Guang, General Manager of the Bank of China Macau Branch; and Mr. Zhang Youlin, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Financial Work. They are to share their views on several topics related to “green” finance.

• Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Session

The three-part “Pan-Pearl River Delta Region Session” aims to deepen co-operation and promote development in environment-related areas in the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region. In the first part, Mr. Jiang Xiaoting, President of the Environmental Scientific Society of Sichuan Province, is delivering a presentation on the achievement of visiting Portugal and Germany as a delegate of representatives from the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region..

During the second part of the panel session, experts from the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region and Europe are to talk about the development of the environmental protection sector, “green” technologies and real cases in different countries and regions.

The third part of the session is the PPRD Environmental Protection Industry Association Seminar, which focuses on the topic of “eco-cities”, the development, competitive advantages and demands of the environmental protection sector within the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region.

• Professional certification to boost event’s profile

The organisers have applied to have the “Green Forum” panel sessions accredited by professional bodies and are to issue relevant certificates to participants in each session. The goal is to strengthen the role of MIECF as a platform for exchange of professional knowledge.

• ‘Green Business Co-operation Day’

The two-part “Green Business Co-operation Day” takes place on the afternoon of the first day of 2018MIECF (April 12). It comprises a “Green Business Forum” with two panel sessions, and an agreement signing ceremony. The Forum starts at 2:30pm in the Sicily Room 2401-2502 at the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel. The “Green Business Forum” aims to promote government, industry, academic and research exchanges and the co-operation in environmental-related fields, namely between Macao, the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region, other areas of Mainland China, and overseas regions. The Forum’s two panel sessions are respectively on: “Green Economy – The Sustainable Tourism”; and “New Pattern in MICE Industry under Eco-Cities Model”. Following the “Green Business Forum”, an agreement signing ceremony takes place at Expo Hall A of the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel at 5:30pm; a number of co-operation agreements on environmental protection-related projects are to be signed during the event.

‘Green Public Day’

The final day of 2018MIECF (April 14), is open to the public with no entry charge. The aim is to allow the general public to visit the “Green Showcase”, take part in MIECF, , and gain a better understanding of this international green event, in order to mainstream environmental protection and promote the concept of low-carbon lifestyle. The organisers are offering a variety of activities themed around environmental protection, including lucky draws, workshops and games for families. In addition, the organisers are hosting on-site tours for groups from Macao’s universities, high schools and primary schools, to promote the importance of environmental protection to the young people.

Technical visits

The organisers are offering two technical tours for trade visitors to the recycling and electronic waste treatment units affiliated to the “Computer and Communication Equipment Recycling Scheme”, and to the “City of Dreams Macau” complex: three hotels in COD received a Gold Award in the 2015 edition of the Macao Green Hotel Award scheme. By visiting the environmental protection-related facilities of these hotels, participants can get a deeper understanding of best practices of environmental management in the hospitality sector.

Guided tour to Jiangmen for 2018MIECF exhibitors

The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute is organising – in collaboration with the Monetary Authority of Macao – a guided tour to Jiangmen in Guangdong Province on the third day of the event (April 14). The activity aims to widen the benefits offered by 2018MIECF to its participants, promote the event’s role as a co-operation platform, and deepen collaboration on the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The guided tour is arranged for 2018MIECF exhibitors and particularly for those coming from Europe, as well as representatives from the local environmental protection sector and the financial sector.

Free Wi-Fi available at the MIECF venue

The organisers are offering free Internet access via Wi-Fi at the MIECF venue during the event. The goal is to facilitate digital exchanges and communication among participants – either within the event’s venue or with international parties based elsewhere. Participants and visitors can connect to the Wi-Fi network “2018MIECF” via their electronic devices to enjoy free Internet services at MIECF.