Can Hong Kong become Asia’s greenest city?

We are entirely reliant on this single planet, earth, to produce all the natural resources we need for our existence. But, for years, mankind has overconsumed. This year, on April 24, we passed a grim milestone: Hong Kong overshoot day. If everyone lived the way we do in Hong Kong, the world would have used up its entire natural resource “budget” for 2016 by that day – less than four months into the year. Since then, in effect, we have been running a natural resource deficit.

Today, several signs of overshoot can be seen around the globe: carbon accumulation in the atmosphere is exacerbating climate change, while the depletion of fisheries and deforestation is translating into soaring food and commodity costs. These signs will appear more frequently in the near future.

As a major consumption centre and a regional trading hub, Hong Kong can create positive change – not just here, but throughout the Asia-Pacific region. There are at least four major areas where the government can accelerate its sustainability efforts.

The true price of Hong Kong’s insatiable appetite for seafood