Deloitte China’s Climate and Sustainability Leader Allan Xie An has offered advice and encouragement to companies in Macau about what can be done about global warming and to achieve a green economy.
He made the upbeat remarks during an interview with The Macau Post Daily on Friday on the sidelines of the BEYOND EXPO held at the Venetian in Cotai.
Action local firms can take against global warming
Speaking of the priority for companies to consider the importance of global warming as an issue, Xie talked about how carbon emissions are a responsibility for everyone to take action against, while saying that he thinks that Macau “is known for being a very active city around the world” while it could also be a “very good example for China” and even developed countries in achieving carbon targets.
Xie further explained that Macau can play “a more active role” as, although the city is small in terms of its size and population, its impacts can be considered to be in line with a large city. Xie mentioned several examples that local companies could consider such as “leveraging green finance as an enabler to help the companies in [mainland] China and all over the world achieve their carbon targets”, while also noting that the BEYOND EXPO was “a very good starting point” for innovation, saying that innovative technology could be used to support companies in achieving ambitious goals in carbon emissions.
Xie also cited some examples of initiatives that Macau’s companies could be involved in such as “green building, green transportation” and a new mode of business while achieving initial targets.
Xie added he believed that Macau was in a good position due to not having heavy industries, which could allow for leveraging impacts on organisations and “talents”, which would in turn attract more of them to start their business in Macau as “it is a very good bridge between mainland China and the whole world”, adding that Macau was “very open and very inclusive” to attract companies and talents that could impact the mainland and the overseas market.
Path to achieving green economy
Xie said he thought that Macau has the advantage to achieve a fully green economy and was in “a very good position” due to the city’s size, energy and business structures.
Providing his recommendations on pursuing a green economy, Xie noted that Macau’s companies must be open to understand various regulations elsewhere, particularly in the Chinese mainland, as more policies continue to emerge, as well as attract and retain and develop new talents for their mindset and skills. He concluded that the last step was to “take the real action”, noting he thought that Macau’s civil society is an efficient one that has the advantage to take swift action in order “to grab new opportunities”.
When asked what long-term benefits can be attained by pursuing a green economy, Xie said that it would be more sustainable, as well as both energy- and resource-saving, apart from enabling better “wellbeing in the green economy society”. Xie also said that although some might see it as a dream, it is something that must be achieved, adding that our lives will not be sustainable if this is not pursued. He stressed that “today’s investment is not only for ourselves”, but for the generations to come.
Deloitte China’s Climate and Sustainability Leader Allan Xie An poses for a photo after Friday’s interview on the sidelines of the BEYOND EXPO held at the Venetian in Cotai. The three-day fair ended on Saturday. Photo: Rui Pastorin
