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All around the world, waste separation and recycling have become part and parcel of urban governance. Over the past decade, the SAR Government has, through the “GREEN@COMMUNITY” programme and GREEN$ Incentive Scheme, established a community recycling network throughout the city to mobilize the public to integrate recycling into their daily lives.

Tropical forests are disappearing at an alarming rate, with the loss of approximately 6.7 million hectares of tropical primary forests worldwide in 2024, representing close to an 80% increase over 2023 (see Note 1). Held in November in Brazil, the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) was regarded as a major climate summit since the Paris Agreement.

Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are upending the traditional international trade landscape, giving developed countries endogenous comparative advantages in industries that were once intensive in low-skilled labor, thereby reversing the traditional advantages of developing countries. According to the latest trends in 2025, this shift has accelerated the restructuring of global supply chains and has exacerbated trade inequality.

With its signature jagged-teeth smile and “ugly cute” look, Labubu has quickly turned into a cultural symbol, offering solace to city dwellers. In 2024, the IP of the Monsters series, including Labubu, registered sales of RMB3.041 billion, skyrocketing by 726.6% year on year to become Pop Mart’s most commercially valuable IP.

Could cryptocurrency mining have become a driving force for carbon reduction in China? As the global cryptocurrency market rapidly expanded, mining evolved into a billion-dollar industry. However, its high energy consumption attracted criticism and was a key reason for the Chinese government’s ban on mining in 2021. Despite this, Prof. Guojun He highlighted that appropriate electricity pricing policies could have enabled mining activities to promote renewable energy development and reduce carbon emissions.

As a coastal city with low-lying terrain, Hong Kong is frequently affected by extreme weather events and has experienced multiple climate disasters in the past decades. Prof. Guojun He, Professor in Economics, Management and Strategy, HKU Business School & Director of the HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute, Ms. Qidan Wang, Ms. Vivi Hu, and Mr. Cheng BI explain that two climate risks are particularly concerning: the occurrence of severe typhoons and rising sea levels. In this regard, the authors have studied how typhoons and sea level rises would affect public housing and conduct scenario analysis on the potential economic losses under different climate pathways. Their analysis shows that the potential damages caused by sea level rise can be more severe, especially in the long run. Under the high carbon-emissions pathway, it is also projected that the asset loss due to sea level rise for the three selected public housing estates would be significantly higher than that caused by typhoons. If climate risks are tackled appropriately, they can be transformed into development opportunities.

Vulture and human death: In India, the disappearance of vultures led to a rapid decline in ecological quality in areas where they once thrived. This not only resulted in increased surface water contamination by pathogens but also caused significant population growth in stray dogs and rats. The functional extinction of vultures has led to an additional 100,000 deaths in India each year, reaching nearly USD 70 billion annually in economic losses.

Today, in the face of complex environmental, social, and governance challenges, ESG has become a central focus for businesses. In the past, businesses often improved their ESG ratings by following the criteria of various rating agencies. However, with around 600 ESG rating agencies worldwide, each with its own standards, rating inconsistencies are common. This means that even with significant efforts in ESG, companies may still receive varying ratings.

Today, in the face of complex environmental, social, and governance challenges, ESG has become a central focus for businesses. In the past, businesses often improved their ESG ratings by following the criteria of various rating agencies. However, with around 600 ESG rating agencies worldwide, each with its own standards, rating inconsistencies are common. This means that even with significant efforts in ESG, companies may still receive varying ratings.