Climate change: low-carbon innovations emerge from Greater Bay Area start-ups, inspired by ants, spider silk, tea leaves
- Meet four start-ups that are determined to show decarbonisation and profit are not mutually exclusive
- Innovations include a reward platform for low-carbon actions, leather made from spider silk, an ant-inspired reflective paint and recycling of tea leaves
Urgency is growing for businesses and nations to decarbonise as they face tighter regulations and looming deadlines to meet emissions targets so that the world can avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change, such as the severe rainstorm that brought Hong Kong to a standstill this week.
The private sector is also stepping up. While there is no silver bullet, innovators in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area (GBA) region are experimenting with ways to reduce carbon footprints and minimise the environmental impact of their users while also making money. Here are four examples.
Negawatt: Gamifying emission reduction
Hong Kong engineering start-up Negawatt Utility is pivoting from helping building owners decarbonise their assets to providing a citywide reward platform to incentivise citizens to reduce their carbon footprints.
The company got its start providing a centralised digital platform that entities such as MTR Corp, Chinachem Group and the government’s Electrical and Mechanical Services Department use to manage the carbon emissions of their buildings.