9 CARE2022 and COP27 CARE2022 was designed to focus primarily on adaptation but with due emphasis on the nexus with mitigation since the two are so intimately connected. The role of government to speedup the climate transformation to Net Zero is essential because decarbonizing the economy and providing infrastructure and systems for societies to be resilient against extreme weather events require consistent long-term policies. CARE2022 took inspiration from the UNFCCC process to be open, transparent, cross-cutting, and inclusive. CARE2022 invited the HKSAR Government to discuss their adaptation plans in an open, transparent and cross-cutting manner so that there could be a more fulsome picture of how the work of various Bureaux and Departments aligned with each other, while pointing to the need for continuous mitigation, and the need for both mitigation and adaptation to be considered in the planning and implementation of major development projects in Hong Kong. Moreover, CARE2022 included considerations in finance policies since finance is a critical enabler for both mitigation and adaptation. The design of the climate science plenary and the HKSAR Government adaptation plenary on Day 1, the two Workshops on Day 1, and the design for Day 3 sought to be cross-cutting and as inclusive as possible to bring together areas of knowledge and experience that had not been brought together before, as the climate change must involve them all. Breadth vs. Depth The CARE2022 design provided breadth of climate policy issues. Presenters were invited to articulate their most important messages within the shortest time so that related issues could be presented alongside each other. While registration was open for participation for the plenaries and the two Workshops on Day 1, the organizers made considerable effort to invite knowledgeable individuals and institutions, including youth, to participate so that there could be an appreciation of the breadth of issues involved, as well as stimulating exchange of views particularly at the Workshops. The Workshops also provided opportunities for networking for presenters and participants. Broadening networks was an aim of CARE2022, as Hong Kong society would need many more institutions to take up deliberation of the climate challenge. As for depth, Day 2 provided a chance for university scholars to exchange views based on their work related to adaptation. Moreover, other institutions were organising climate-related events that HKUST scholars participated in. Special mention must be given to Hong Kong Observatory (HKO). During the early design stage of CARE2022, and in discussing the involvement of the HKSAR Government, HKO decided to organize Climate Science Webinar event the weekend after CARE2022 (17 December 2022) to note the outcomes of CARE2022 and to go into depth on specific issues. Conference participation data The plenaries on Day 1 were conducted in hybrid mode, while the two workshops in the afternoon were designed for in-person interactions. The presentations and discussions on Day 2 were designed for scholars to showcase their work, which provided a measure of depth, and the conference on Day 3 on Risks, Data, Finance, and Technology was by invitation for in-person participation because of the constrain of the venue but there was online viewing. The three-day CARE2022 Conference has attracted wide spread interest with a thousand participants joining the event physically and virtually. All presentations are video-recorded and shared online, and have received 2,500 views as of February 2023. 1 COP26 to COP27 & Design of CARE2022
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