The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, today (March 30) attended the 2017 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum & Exhibition (MIECF) in Macau. He also took the opportunity to visit a green hotel development and view electronic waste (e-waste) treatment equipment to gain a better understanding of the environmental work in Macau.

     In the morning, Mr Wong officiated alongside officials of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government and other guests at the opening ceremony of the MIECF, during which the former United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary General and former Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, Mr Achim Steiner, gave a keynote speech on this year's theme "Innovative Green Development for Sustainable Future". Following the opening ceremony, Mr Wong toured the exhibition and exchanged views with Hong Kong exhibitors.

     After attending a networking luncheon hosted by the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr Wong paid a courtesy call on the Secretary for Transport and Public Works of the Macau SAR, Mr Raimundo Arrais do Rosário, in the afternoon to exchange views on various environmental issues including green buildings and combating climate change, as well as the environmental co-operation of the two places.

     Mr Wong then visited Sands Cotai Central to understand more about its sustainable management policies and various green measures to save energy. The hotels there won the Gold Award of the 2013 Macao Green Hotel Award organised by the Macao Environmental Protection Bureau, and have also received awards in local energy saving contests. In addition, he also viewed the Macao Typical Electronic Waste Pilot Treatment Equipment to see the proper treatment and recycling of e-waste, including waste computers, TV sets, office equipment and mobile phones, in Macau. In the evening, Mr Wong will join a green dinner hosted by the Macau SAR Government.

     Mr Wong will attend one of the Green Forum sessions organised by the MIECF tomorrow (March 31) and will deliver a keynote speech entitled "Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2030+: Climate change and green building". He will return to Hong Kong in the afternoon on the same day.

Ends/Thursday, March 30, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:23

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