The Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, and the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong, Professor Xiang Zhang, have signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today (March 31) to establish a co-operation framework for advancing research and practical applications of cutting-edge construction technologies in public housing projects. This partnership will leverage the research prowess of a global top university alongside the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA)'s full-cycle functions - from planning and design through construction and operations management to maintenance - and its comprehensive practical scenarios, bringing world-class innovations to local construction practices to pioneer industry leadership and accelerate Hong Kong's construction sector toward higher quality, more intelligent, and sustainable practices.

The “Action for Earth” Summit, one of the flagship events of Hong Kong Climate Week 2026, is being held today at Rayson Huang Theatre, The University of Hong Kong. The Summit brought together representatives from the United Nations, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Hong Kong SAR Government, the business sector, and leading international academic institutions to examine policy pathways, frontier research and actionable strategies for climate adaptation—reflecting the growing international consensus to shift the focus from “mitigation” to proactive “adaptation”.

A new analysis from the Ise-Ekiti Forest Reserve in Southwestern Nigeria provides a nuanced look at how human activities affect the carbon-storing capabilities of tropical forests. Researchers from the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Studies and the Department of Botany at Obafemi Awolowo University investigated the intricate connection between biomass, carbon stock, and potential CO₂ emissions in woody plants. The work compares sections of the forest with minimal human interference to areas impacted by activities like logging and agricultural expansion, offering critical data for conservation and climate change mitigation strategies.

The research project “Scalable fabrication of flexible, ultra-flat diamond films” co-led by Professor Zhiqin Chu in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Professor Yuan Lin in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has been selected as one of China’s Top 10 Scientific Advances of 2025.  This innovative technology has successfully enabled the large-scale, high-quality preparation of diamond membranes, laying a critical foundation for the development of next-generation electronic and optical devices.

A team of scientists at Northwest A and F University has developed a data-driven framework that can accurately predict the characteristics of an enigmatic substance within biochar known as persistent free radicals (PFRs). Biochar, a charcoal-like material produced from biomass, is widely used to improve soil fertility and remove environmental contaminants. Its effectiveness is tied to PFRs, which can have both beneficial and detrimental effects. This new predictive capability allows for the design of customized biochar, ensuring its optimal performance for specific applications.

Initiated and hosted by the University of Hong Kong (HKU)’s Institute for Climate and Carbon Neutrality (ICCN), Hong Kong Climate Week 2026 marks its opening today under the theme “From Mitigation to Adaptation — Bridging Global Consensus and Local Implementation.” The week-long event aims to harness Hong Kong’s unique strengths as an international financial centre and a global connectivity hub to accelerate a just, inclusive and resilient net-zero transition. It also underscores Hong Kong’s role as a “two-way bridge,” connecting the Chinese Mainland with the world, advancing the deployment of climate technology, and channelling green finance.