National Geographic Camp for Secondary Students | 18 May 2024
Date: May 18, 2024 (Saturday)
Time: 9:30 am to 5:00 pm
The National Geography Camp for Secondary Schools, organized by the Education Bureau (EDB) and co-organized by the Hong Kong Geographical Association (HKGA), brought together four other collaborative units, including the Department of Geography at Hong Kong Baptist University, the Asian Energy Studies Centre (AESC), the Hong Kong Meteorological Society, and the Development Bureau's Geospatial Lab.
Following the successful National Geographic Camp for primary school students in the previous month, the participants this time were 40 students from 8 secondary schools in Hong Kong. Together, they explored the possibilities of low-carbon energy development.
The objectives of this secondary school camp were to raise students' awareness of energy and climate issues in China, and to foster their interest in sustainable development. The activities included a visit to a rooftop solar system in Hong Kong Baptist University, an infrared camera workshop, a VR virtual experience, where they had a Google Earth tour to visit the Three Gorges Dam and the "Panda" solar project in mainland China.
In addition, diverse keynote speeches and interactive discussion sessions were arranged. We have invited former assistant director of the Hong Kong Observatory, representative of the Hong Kong Meteorological Society, Mr. Leung Wing-mo to share examples from nature and explain the impact of climate change in an easy-to-understand manner. For instance, he explained how the Arctic fox, with its white fur, used to have good camouflage within the arctic area, but now struggles to hunt on the mudflats as the environment is impacted by climate change. Mr. Leung encouraged the younger generation to leverage creative thinking, think outside the box, and strive towards a sustainable future in mitigating climate change and promoting low-carbon living.
Dr. Daphne Mah, Director of the Asian Energy Studies Centre, also presented the latest developments in renewable energy in China, including the energy landscape, four major development characteristics and trends, plus the advancement of energy technologies.
Another highlight of the secondary school camp was a role-playing discussion session. Students were assigned with different roles within the context of Guangdong Province, such as the Department of Finance, Department of Ecology and Environment, NGOs, and citizen representatives, and simulated a sustainable energy planning and discussioin exercise in Guangdong Province. They worked together to explore the best energy mix to achieve China's carbon neutrality goal by 2060. This interactive and engaging session deepened students' understanding of energy transition and decarbonization.
The participating schools in this National Geographic Camp for secondary students included: Henrietta Secondary School, Pooi To Middle School, Lung Kong World Federation School Limited Lau Wong Fat Secondary School, Ho Ngai College (Sponsored by Sik Sik Yuen), Chiu Chow Association Secondary School, Yuen Long Public Secondary School, POH Chan Kai Memorial College, and Fung Kai No.1 Secondary School.
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