To coincide with the World Environment Day, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) today held a series of distinguished talks with the theme of “Sustainability – A Leadership Role for Higher Education”
Secretary for the Environment Mr Edward Yau and HKUST President Paul Chu officiated at the opening ceremony. They shared with the audience the importance of environmental protection in sustaining social development in modern times.
All guest speakers featured in the distinguished talks were renowned environmental scholars and experts. They included two Mainland experts – Prof Jiahua Pan, Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Urban & Environmental Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Prof Canfa Wang, Director of the Center for Legal Assistance to Pollution Victims of the China University of Political Science and Law.
Prof Jiahua Pan shared his views on the relationship between economic development and environmental protection and how to strike a balance between them. To him, the best way was to put part of the economic growth into promoting environmental protection, upgrading environmental hygiene and strengthening community health.
Prof Wang, named by the Time Magazine as a “Hero for the Planet” for his outstanding efforts in environmental protection, noted that environmental laws have developed very quickly in the past on the Mainland.
China now enjoys a relatively comprehensive legal system to regulate environmental activities, he said, adding that the biggest problem right now is how to fully enforce these laws and regulations.
Also speaking at the talks were Prof Philip Jones of Cardiff University; Prof Andrew Weaver of the University of Victoria; Ms Leith Sharp of Harvard University; Mr David Newport of the University of Colorado, and Prof Gerald Patchell of HKUST.
For media enquiries, please feel free to contact :
Ross Lai
Tel: 2358 6306 / 9103 2928
Email: rosslai@ust.hk
Donna Wong
Tel: 2358 6317
Email: donnaw@ust.hk
