2018 Environmental Forum to feature 490 exhibitors

The event organizers pose for a picture

Beginning tomorrow, the 2018 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (MIECF) will see some 490 exhibitors from 19 countries and regions showcase products and solutions designed to curb air, water and soil pollution.

The 11th edition of MIECF will feature Christiana Figueres, vice-chair of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and a ClimateWorks Foundation Board Member, as the event’s keynote speaker.

As announced in a press conference yesterday, Figueres is slated to speak on the current direction of the global environmental protection sector and on sustainable development, focusing on the latest trends in eco-cities and the green economy.

The 2018 MIECF is themed “Shaping of Eco-Cities for Inclusive Green Economy,” highlighting its “Green Forum” that will be joined by over 50 speakers from the field of environmental protection who come from different regions including Australia, Costa Rica, Portugal, the Netherlands and Singapore amongst others.

The forum will feature a panel session on “Green Finance Innovation to Achieve Sustainable Development” featuring speakers who are experts on “green finance.”

The panel session will discuss the development of green finance initiatives and the role of such efforts in promoting the development of eco-cities, and the international demand for financing tools to support “green investments.”

It will also tackle measures and policies to develop such a finance system and look at blueprint policies for the development of the city’s “green finance” sector.

The three-day event will feature discussions on how the tourism and MICE industries apply green technologies and green management that enhance cost- efficiency and boost business opportunities.

Meanwhile, this year’s “Green Showcase” will include a new display area for environment-friendly concepts originating from the Greater Bay Area.

Also, organizers have invited procurement representatives of governmental departments and other professional buyers to take part, given the pressing demand for environmentally friendly services.

The Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute is also organizing a guided tour to Jiangmen on the third day of the event, targeting exhibitors from Europe, and representatives from the local environmental protection and the financial sectors.

“We believe that MIECF will continue to take advantage of Macau’s advantages in promoting cooperation on environmental protection in the Pearl River Pan-Delta region, and promote the exchange and transfer of environmentally friendly technology between provinces and regions of the Pan-Delta and EU countries,” said Irene Lau, acting president of IPIM.

Lau stressed that the scale and internationalization of MIECF have continually improved, recalling that the first exhibition of MIECF attracted exhibitors from just eight countries.

“Over the last ten years, more than 280 letters of intent and cooperation projects have been signed through the MIECF, and almost 80 percent have been implemented,” Lau said.

Further, the 2018 MIECF is offering two technical tours for trade visitors to the recycling and electronic waste treatment units affiliated with the Computer and Communication Equipment Recycling Scheme and to City of Dreams.

The organizers noted that the visit to the integrated resort would allow participants to understand best practice in the environmental management of the hospitality sector.