It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Hong Kong 2024 International Urban Forestry Conference (“IUFC”), organised by the Development Bureau of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. With the theme of “Green Metropolis – The Crucial Role of Urban Forests for a Sustainable Future”, the Conference will offer a valuable platform for international experts, leaders and practitioners to exchange views on this global topic.

Urban forests are pivotal in building the resilience of our cities in face of extreme weather and enhancing urban liveability. They serve as valuable green assets in providing sustainable solutions to global environmental challenges. Hong Kong has around three quarters of its land covered by vegetation. This is a high percentage for a compact metropolitan city. This makes us a unique place to explore the topic of urban forestry.

The Conference will examine various dimensions of sustainable urban forestry, encompassing landscape planning and design, integration of blue-green infrastructure, community empowerment and more extensive use of technology in tree management. Speakers from various parts of the world will share their international and local perspectives. In particular, we will look into the experience of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in synergising urban green and blue networks.

I am grateful to the Organising Committee, supporting organisations and government departments for their generous support in making IUFC 2024 possible. I also wish all guests a fruitful and fulfilling experience in the Conference.