地球之友 Friends of the Earth

Climate Change Adaptation in Coastal Cities

2025-03-21

Coastal cities are at the forefront of climate change impacts, facing rising seas, more frequent storms, and more. This necessitates urgent and effective adaptation strategies. A recent study published in Nature Cities evaluates the state of climate change adaptation in 199 coastal cities worldwide, uncovering both progress and significant gaps in their climate adaptation progress.

How Climate Change Threatens Global Maritime Trade

2025-03-14

The Panama Canal has found itself under an unwanted spotlight in recent months. Within weeks of retaking power, Trump started economic wars across the world and threatened to retake the canal for the US. While these political dramas draw eyes, what is truly endangering the interoceanic channel may not be the 47th US president, but instead climate change.

Producer Responsibility Schemes to Drive a Circular Economy

2025-03-07

The Panel on Environmental Affairs discussed the Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS) on plastic beverage containers and beverage cartons recently. The government proposed adopting a "market-led approach”, where manufacturers, importers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers, would all share responsibility for the collection, recycling, treatment and disposal of end-of-life products as early as 2026. It has set initial recovery targets at 30% for plastic beverage containers and 10% for beverage cartons, and will gradually adjust and increase these proposed statutory recovery rates based on actual recovery performance.

Bold climate action for a low-carbon and sustainable city

2025-02-28

The Financial Secretary has recently announced the 2025-26 Budget. Friends of the Earth (HK) welcomes the extension of the Pilot Green and Sustainable Finance Capacity Building Support Scheme for training local green finance talents, and the allocation of HK$180 million to increase residential food waste collection and expand the recycling network. Still, the budget did not include sufficient policies on climate mitigation and adaptation. Climate change and other environmental issues won’t pause due to a fiscal deficit. Furthermore, leveraging the low-carbon transition would help to create new jobs and drive economic growth. The government must unlock the resource needed to facilitate the sustainable development of Hong Kong.

A Breakthrough in Clean Hydrogen Production

2025-02-21

From fuel cells to industrial applications, hydrogen has great potential to be a clean energy carrier. Yet, producing hydrogen efficiently, cost-effectively, and sustainably has long been a challenge.

Climate literacy in age of misinformation

2025-02-14

Did you know that vitamin C does not actually prevent colds? It only slightly reduces the length and severity. This is an example of the illusory truth effect, where repeated information is seen as more truthful, regardless of accuracy. While believing these nuggets of "wisdom” may sound relatively harmless, it turns out this psychological effect can undermine scientific understanding.

Tropical Cyclones Worsen under Climate Change

2025-02-07

Climate change is a pressing global issue with far-reaching impacts, particularly evident in its influence on weather patterns. A study co-led by researchers from NTU Singapore, Rowan University, and the University of Pennsylvania revealed that climate change is intensifying and prolonging tropical cyclones in Southeast Asia. Analysing over 64,000 tropical cyclones since 1881, the study found that the warming of ocean waters by climate change is providing storms with more energy to develop and intensify.

International Day of Clean Energy - A call for a cleaner, greener future

2025-01-31

2025 marks the second year of celebrating the International Day of Clean Energy (26 January), a day dedicated to highlight the importance of empowering communities for a just and inclusive transition to clean, reliable energy. It is also a day to reaffirm our commitment to combating climate change—amidst record heatwaves and floods—by investing in renewable energy sources and accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels.

Make a giant leap in the Year of the Snake: Get your carbon footprint down, and let blessings abound!

2025-01-24

A waste-less festive season

2025-01-17

As Chinese New Year approaches, we celebrate the festival with our family and relatives. In celebrating abundance and prosperity, families tend to feel overly generous. Retailers feed on the need to spend with colourful decorations and sales promotions. Behind the happy scenes of delicious food, gifts exchanges and gatherings, it’s important to reflect on the environmental impact of our celebrations. The generosity and exuberance of the season often lead to excessive consumption and waste, with significant consequences for the planet.

Earth Chat