2014 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (2014MIECF) was successfully concluded today (March 29). The 3-day event, under the theme “Energising Green Business Growth”, has attracted 9,245 visitors. MIECF’s role as a green platform has been fully utilised through the organisation of the exhibition, forums, presentations and seminars, business matching sessions, networking meetings and cocktail receptions, as well as technical visits, and further promoted the development of the environmental industry and related technology.
Since its inception in 2008, there have been constant improvements in the quality of the event, providing opportunities for networking and promotion of business co-operation. During the 3-day event, nearly 800 business matching sessions were held (this number does not include business discussions at the venue arranged freely between the exhibitors and participants). The figure included business matching negotiations for hotels as well as government departments. Countries and regions involved in the business negotiations included Mainland China, Korea, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao. The discussions involved environmentally friendly hotel supplies, co-operation in solid waste recycling projects, indoor air purification, LED energy-saving lamps, technological co-operation in sewage treatment, vertical planting techniques, green building materials, waste recycling solutions as well as wastewater management.
Regarding the Hosted Buyer Programme, seven major local hotels were invited to participate in the green business matching, including Galaxy Macau Hotel, Holiday Inn Macau, MGM Grand Hotel Macau, Sofitel Hotel Macau at Ponte 16, Emperor Hotel, Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel and San Va Hotel, for the procurement of green products, including hotel supplies, energy-saving systems, renewable energies, green building, solutions and equipment for waste and water treatment. The Organiser has arranged around 70 business matching sessions for the hotel industry.
On the other hand, several Macao government departments and education institutions also participated in the procurement discussions for the purchase of environmentally friendly office supplies, water and energy saving equipment, green construction projects, energy saving lamps and electric cars. Over 40 procurement sessions were arranged for local government departments.
Several Environmental Industry Networking Meetings were also held during MIECF.
The Secretary of State for Environmental Affairs of Portugal has organised a Portuguese business delegation to participate in this year’s MIECF, with members including representatives of major enterprises in the area of waste treatment and recycling industries.
During the 3-day event, a total of 26 contracts were signed, the signatories came from Mainland China (including Beijing as well as the municipalities of Jiangmen, Zhuhai and Shenzhen in Guangdong Province), Italy, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, involving the following industries: environmental protection, construction and engineering, information exchange, education, co-operation in environmental technology as well as product agent. The projects involve environmental technology collaboration and information exchange, co-operation in the setting-up of an international-level base for the quality control of Traditional Chinese Medicine and trade platform for the healthcare industry, kitchen waste recovery and recycling, environmental co-operation projects, energy projects, sale of and agency for environmental products as well as environmental education.
During the event, many exhibitors agree that the activities held under MIECF were very practical and that the counter-parties in the green matching were selected appropriately, and therefore they were satisfied with the outcome.
Nine forums were held, including seven forum sessions and two seminars, with the participation of 58 experts and scholars from 12 countries and regions. Speakers shared their valuable insights on several environmental issues, and further elevated the event to an international level. Keynote speakers this year included Professor Joseph Stiglitz, Recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, Former Chief Economist of the World Bank, Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences of the University of Macau, and Professor at the University of Columbia (USA), as well as Mr James Jao, President of Lon On Group (USA), Senior Expert on Planning, State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs of the People´s Republic of China and Steering Member of the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat). The themes of their speeches were “A Future of Green Growth: Why Sustainability and Equity Are Crucial for Saving the Environment” and “The Past, Present and the Future of Chinese Three Star Green Building Rating System” respectively.
Additionally, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Asia Pacific Travel Association (PATA), two seminars were held to discuss topics in the environmental field, namely, “Ecological Civilization and the Development of Low-carbon Economy” and “Corporate Social Responsibility and the Visitor Economy”, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that Macao faces, in the course of its social development.
The forums this year were attended by over 2,900 participants.
The event venue covered an area of over 16,000 square metres, encompassing six major areas, namely, energy efficiency, renewable energies, green building, green mobility, solutions for waste treatment and water treatment, and environmental services. The setting-up of several exhibition pavilions allowed for a larger concentration of products, with practical results. The “Convention & Exhibition Through Train Service”, organised in collaboration with the organisations of the environmental industry of Guangdong Province, is again available this year, to facilitate the participation of professionals from the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region in MIECF-related activities. The service has received overwhelming response.
To actively promote the concept of a green exhibition, recyclable building materials were used for the design and setting-up of the venue, dispensing the use of carpets. On the other hand, 3,000 potted plants were used for the first time for decoration of the venue and these plants will be distributed to the public on the last day of the event, in the afternoon of the Green Public Day. Besides, over 2,500 square metres of inkjet posters will be donated to social enterprises later for the production of recycled shopping bags which will be distributed at next year´s MIECF. This year, MIECF has fully implemented the government´s policy of “Reduce Waste at Source and Resource Recycling”, by reducing as much as possible the amount of waste generated by the event.
The last day of the event, which has been designated as the Green Public Day, recorded over 2,900 visitors. To further promote environmental awareness and MIECF’s concept to the general public, the Environmental Protection Bureau organised 12 schools with a total of 600 students to visit MIECF. Guided visit services were provided to introduce and explain the activities of the Green Public Day and related information about MIECF. Students and the general public could enhance their knowledge and awareness in environmental protection through the participation in MIECF.
This year marks the seventh year of MIECF since its inception in 2008. In 2011, MIECF was certified as an “UFI Approved Event”, demonstrating that it has steadily developed into an important exchange platform between the environmental industry in the Pan-PRD region and the international market. The MIECF next year will be held from 26 to 28 March 2015.
