2023 has shattered climate records, accompanied by extreme weather events which have left a trail of devastation and despair around the world. The World Meteorological Organization reports it was the warmest year ever at 1.45°C above pre-industrial levels, greenhouse gas (GHG) levels continued to increase, sea surface temperatures and sea level rise broke records and Antarctic Sea ice reached a new low.
The year concluded with COP28, a critical moment for global climate action, as it marked the first time that the parties assessed their collective progress and ambition under the Paris Agreement. This first ever Global Stock Take confirmed that the world is far off track from limiting global warming to 1.5°C, the threshold to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.
Following last year’s events, cities and nations around the world will look even more for best practices, leadership and strong partners on how to decarbonise.
This paper lists out many things that Hong Kong is doing well, what should be further improved and what suggested actions various stakeholders should take to progress at speed and at scale.
Hong Kong should step up and take a leading role.
To resonate the mantra used at COP28: Unite. Act. Deliver.
