The third One Earth Summit, jointly organized by the Institute of Sustainability and Technology and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), opened today （Oct. 28) , bringing together more than 40 leaders from government, business, academia and philanthropic sectors to explore how human wisdom can guide AI development for shared prosperity in the intelligent age.
Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said in a recorded video address that accelerating climate change and biodiversity loss demand urgent, tangible results that require bridging green capital, innovation and governance. "Hong Kong is committed to turning dialogue into impact. Working together, we can mobilise capital, technology and talent to power sustainable growth across Asia and the world," he noted.
Mr Chun-ying Leung, Vice-Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, opened his address with a core message: "For human beings to remain healthy, the one Earth must first be healthy." He highlighted that climate change is no longer an abstract environmental concern: the record-hot summer of 2026 in Western Europe, and locally transmitted malaria cases recorded in Frankfurt, have already placed tangible, growing burdens on public health systems. He stressed that green transitions cannot be built behind tariff walls. China's scaled manufacturing of solar panels and electric vehicles has made clean energy affordable for developing economies, and global collaboration, not fragmentation, is the only path forward.
Mr Runqiu Huang, Minister of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, outlined China's progress in advancing green transformation. As the world's largest supplier of solar modules and wind power equipment, China has helped cut global solar and wind power costs, while supporting Global South partners through the green Belt and Road initiative.
Hong Kong Financial Secretary Paul Chan noted that emerging and developing economies need at least USD 1 trillion annually in private investment to deliver on green transition goals — public funding alone cannot meet the scale of demand. He highlighted Hong Kong's role as a "super-connector" linking global capital to green innovation, sharing early-stage project risk to build private investor confidence, translating lab research into real-life community solutions, and rolling out accessible AI skills training to ensure the benefits of the intelligent age are widely shared.
Uzbekistan Presidential Advisor H.E. Aziz Abdukhakimov invited global partners to join the Tashkent International Investment Forum next June, as his country works to build itself into a regional green innovation hub where new ideas can be tested, implemented and scaled across Central Asia.
Ms Poman Lo, Founder of One Earth Initiative, said in her welcome remarks: "The intelligent age must go beyond smarter machines — it is about collective flourishing, where innovation serves humanity, prosperity is shared, and no one is left behind."
The Summit runs three themed dialogues covering AI for education and leadership, AI for energy transition, and AI for health and wellness, bringing together cross-sector partners to turn discussion into tangible, on-the-ground impact.
(Reporter: Lynn Zhou)
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