The journey to decarbonisation is one that can leave no passenger behind. It requires the involvement and commitment of everyone in society – and young people are crucial to its success.

They are the ones with the most to gain or lose if the communal effort to create a sustainable future succeeds or fails, and they will be the ones who will live longest with the consequences of our actions today.

Seizing their attention over the issues surrounding the environment and involving them in the process of decarbonising our economy are therefore critical elements in the fight against global warming.

Different countries and different businesses have adopted a variety of approaches to engage with young people on the decarbonisation journey, and energy companies have a particular responsibility to lead the way.

In Hong Kong, CLP Power combines art, technology, and education in its approach and has launched a wide range of environmental programmes and initiatives to capture the imagination of young people.

By joining forces with community partners and other institutions for drama performances, workshops, and other green initiatives, CLP Power is seeking to educate Hong Kong’s future leaders on the importance of green lifestyles and saving energy.

The dramatic power of engagement

Young actors found themselves in the spotlight when CLP Power teamed up with the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre in December to stage an educational drama called Energy Heroes at the Xiqu Centre in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Around 5,000 children and their parents from underprivileged households in all 14 of CLP Power’s supply areas were invited to the six performances which were supported by the CLP Community Energy-Saving Fund.

The fun-packed 90-minute production, based on the metaverse, taught its young audiences about the importance of reducing carbon emissions and taking action to safeguard the environment. 

“It was a new experience for us to stage a show featuring the metaverse,” says the show’s writer Mike Chow. “We signed up some inspiring young people for the production and covered some very topical themes, such as the metaverse and computer games.”

“We wanted to ignite young people’s creativity and imagination through the drama while bringing out important messages about energy saving and decarbonisation,” he adds.

One of the actors, Cornelius Sadiq – a past winner of the CLP Energy for Brighter Tomorrows Award programme – describes it as a memorable experience which gave him a valuable opportunity to work alongside theatre professionals.

A palette of art and technology

Combining art and technology is another way to engage with young people and give them an opportunity to explore their potential and gain skills and knowledge that will contribute to a sustainable future.

CLP Power has introduced artistic elements, metaverse-enabling technologies, and other interactive virtual features to its community initiatives, workshops and mobile apps.

The initiatives connecting young people to the environment include the Community Power Journey under CLP Power's Distribution Box Beautification Project, innovation and technology (InnoTech) workshops, and the Power Kid mobile app.

The company teamed up with local artists and design students form the Vocational Training Council to bring a touch of contemporary art depicting local landmarks and environmental elements to selected electricity distribution boxes.

Students get the chance to join a Community Power Journey – a guided tour that uses technology to teach them about electricity, energy conservation, and local history and culture.

InnoTech workshops have also been organised for students to design their own beautified distribution boxes and take part in a virtual tour of their art pieces in the metaverse with the help of artificial intelligence technology.

Student Yang Kai Ying explains: “We created our own avatars to tour the virtual gallery of our designs and played energy-saving mini games, learning about decarbonisation while picking up some green living tips in a fun, interactive way.”

Apps that deliver a green message

CLP Power’s Power Kid mobile app is an e-version of company’s Kindergarten Education Kit with a range of new features including Augmented Reality (AR) technology to teach youngsters how to adopt low-carbon lifestyles from an early age.

It includes AR games, audible storybooks, and 3D cartoon episodes for children to enjoy with their parents.

“The Power Kid mobile app provides an interesting educational platform for children to understand the concept of energy saving,” explains Benny Cheung, CLP Holdings Senior Product Manager of Digital Services. “After using the app, my son now reminds me to turn off the lights to save energy when we leave the house.”

A roadshow for sustainability

CLP Power engages with schools and communities through the Green Studio – Hong Kong’s first mobile classroom for green education – which promotes low-carbon living through exciting 4D movies and interactive AR games.

A webpage called "Save Energy Today for a Low-Carbon Tomorrow" has also been launched by CLP Power to highlight the importance of energy saving and decarbonisation in a simple but effective way.

Making a difference together

CLP Power uses a range of creative technology tools to encourage young people to get actively involved in the pursuit of low-carbon lifestyles and join the fight against climate change.

Managing Director T.K. Chiang says the company takes a holistic approach to decarbonising its operations and is committed to promoting green lifestyles to young people in novel and entertaining ways.

“I hope more Hong Kong people join hands with CLP to embrace low-carbon lifestyles,” he says. “By making small changes to our daily lives, we can make a big difference together.”

Decarbonisation is a priority for CLP as it strives to become a Utility of the Future and achieve net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2050 – and it plans to take as many young people as possible with it on the decarbonisation journey.