To help Hong Kong achieve its carbon neutrality goal by 2050 and contribute to the Nation’s efforts to tackle climate change, PolyU has established the Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality (RCRE) as a constituent unit operating under PAIR. An inauguration ceremony was held in hybrid mode in January 2022, with Mr Wong Kam-sing, Secretary for the Environment of the HKSAR, as the officiating guest.

Mr Wong said, “PolyU has been a leading force in the research of solid waste management and many of its innovations in recycled construction materials and waste valorisation technology have been widely applied. I am pleased to see that PolyU has pooled its interdisciplinary talents and facilities to advance the development of decarbonisation technologies and related policy study.”

PolyU has the largest research team and facilities among all the universities in Hong Kong focusing on resources engineering towards carbon neutrality. The Centre gathers top researchers from various disciplines to conduct cutting-edge research in solid waste recycling issues, a critical area in achieving carbon neutrality since waste is one of the top three sources of carbon emissions in Hong Kong.

In particular, the Centre will focus on four research directions, namely policy and society, environmental and economic impact, waste-toresource technology, as well as recycling and sustainable construction.