HKUST (GZ) and Jiangmen Jointly Build A “Double Carbon” Laboratory

On December 7, the unveiling ceremony and the project signing ceremony of the Jiangmen “Double Carbon” Laboratory were held. During the event, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) (HKUST (GZ)) and the Jiangmen Municipal People’s Government signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation framework agreement. Focusing on national strategic targets and the major requirements of Guangdong Province and Jiangmen City, both sides proposed to jointly build the Jiangmen “Double Carbon” Laboratory. With the goal of building the Guangdong Provincial “Double Carbon” Laboratory, both sides will make unremitting efforts to integrate the high-end innovation resources, develop a number of high-level scientific and technological innovation platforms, carry out the initiatives for original scientific research and technological innovation, and build a national advanced “double carbon” demonstration base for scientific research.

Prof. Lionel M. Ni, President of HKUST (GZ), Prof. Wu Jingshen, Vice President of HKUST (GZ), Prof. Qi Ye, Director of the Institute for Public Policy of HKUST, and Dr. Gao Min, Director of the Guangzhou HKUST Fok Ying Tung Research Institute (HKUST FYTRI) attended the event. Prof. Nancy Yuk-Yu IP, Vice President of HKUST and Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a congratulatory speech via video.

Wang Xi, Vice Governor of Guangdong Province, stressed in his speech that Jiangmen City seizes the major strategic opportunity presented by carbon peak and carbon neutrality to jointly build the Jiangmen “Double Carbon” Laboratory with HKUST (GZ), and vigorously pushes forward the implementation of a number of “double carbon” scientific research platforms and industrialization projects. The cooperation will strongly promote the in-depth integration of the “double carbon” innovation chain and the industrial chain, and accelerate the comprehensive green transformation in economic and social development.

Prof. Lionel M. Ni said in his speech that HKUST(GZ) will mobilize the whole university to strengthen the cooperation with Jiangmen City on the aspects such as R&D, talent cultivation, and transformation of scientific and technological achievements in the area of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Moreover, both sides will jointly tap into the advantages in the fields such as carbon sink resources, “double carbon” application scenarios, science & technology and talent reserve, to explore the feasible pathways to meet the “double carbon” targets. In the spirit of “openness, transparency, cooperation, and sharing”, the Jiangmen “Double Carbon” Laboratory will form a partnership with the enterprises, universities, research institutes, government agencies, and numerous scientists in relevant fields both at home and abroad, and jointly contribute to the realization of China’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals through win-win cooperation.

Prof. Nancy Yuk-Yu IP, whose ancestral home is in Taishan, expressed her hope via a video speech that she believes the Jiangmen “Double Carbon” Laboratory will keep further exploration and innovation unceasingly, so as to make important contributions to the “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” goals across Guangdong and China.

HKUST has accumulated massive scientific research achievements in the fields of low-carbon technologies, “double carbon” policies and green finance, data analysis and “double carbon” design, zero carbon and carbon-negative technologies, and has nurtured many high-end talents for the country and the society. As a key node city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Jiangmen boasts vast area, convenient transportation, complete industry, and rich application scenarios for “double carbon” technologies. The cooperation between both sides will facilitate the research, application and commercialization of low-carbon technologies, push forward the development of “double carbon” industries and the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, as well as advance the construction of low-carbon cities.

HKUST has always attached great importance to sustainable development. In addition to forward-looking planning and construction of green buildings, HKUST also launched the “Sustainable Smart Campus Plan” on campus, to build a testing ground for sustainable development projects and advocate the sustainable lifestyle. The concept of “Living Lab”, proposed by HKUST, aims to turn the campus into a future-oriented experimental base for various majors of the university. By combining cutting-edge technologies developed by the university with campus design, it will offer practical solutions for scientific research. On October 25, 2021, the newly-built HKUST Jockey Club Hall was awarded the top honor for green buildings in Hong Kong.

HKUST (GZ), with the ongoing preparatory work for the establishment, is aligned with strict green standards and aims to build a “sustainable and green campus”, with the ultimate goal of achieving “carbon neutrality” throughout the campus by integrating high-performance building systems with self-sufficient renewable energy.