Annual Report 2008-2009

CIVIC EXCHANGE ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009 ENT EM H RC G A E S E R D E A S G IN A ILD B BU M E A C E N T G E Y D R I A V IN E L P I RESEARCH & N C EDUCATION GOVERNMENT S I D - I T L E U M GOAL BUSINESSES COMMUNITY & CIVIL SOCIETY TABLE OF CONTENTS Chief Executive Officerʼs Message"........................................................................................................................2 Chief Financial Officer!s Message"..........................................................................................................................3 Chief Operating Officer!s Message"........................................................................................................................5 Programme Reports"...............................................................................................................................................6 Measuring Our Impacts"........................................................................................................................................14 Credits".................................................................................................................................................................17 Reports and Financial statements 2008-2009".....................................................................................................20 THE CIVIC EXCHANGE TEAM From left: Veronica Booth - Researcher Andrew Lawson - Programme Manager Dinesh Sadhwani - Researcher Patrick Lau - Researcher Christine Loh - Chief Executive Officer Jonas Chau - Researcher and Designer Mike Kilburn - Programme Manager Kylie Uebergang - Chief Financial Officer Iris Chan - Office Manager Yan-yan Yip - Chief Operating Officer Michelle Wong - Communications and Events Manager CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S MESSAGE Christine Loh The work of Civic Exchange from October 2008 to September 2009 cannot be divorced from that of previous years. Since we began in 2000, we have made significant contributions in air pollution and health, energy and climate change, urban design and high performance buildings, sustainable development, the Pearl River Delta, good governance, public records management, and public budgeting. In the past twelve months, we have expanded on what we can offer to policy-makers and the public on these subjects. There are three aspects worthy of highlight. AIR QUALITY AND HEALTH – CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES – GOOD GOVERNANCE – THE JOY OF GIVING BIRTH A GROWING REPUTATION STAYING THE COURSE We wanted to have an occasion where we In 2008, we produced a major work on Asia Good research and solutions are useless could introduce the big picture to the general and climate change in partnership with a unless and until they are acted upon. As a public on what needs to be done to clean up Singapore think tank. We worked with many policy think tank, our key focus is on policy- local and regional air pollution. With funding experts from around Asia, and we took the makers and the non-government support from the Hong Kong Jockey Club publication “Climate Change Negotiations: stakeholders who can transform the status Charities Trust, we designed and hosted two Can Asia Change the Game?” to COP14 at quo. As such, we must continue to use days of events in January 2009, where we Poznan. Throughout 2009, we were kept important dates in the political calendar. brought many local, mainland and busy with giving talks about the science of That!s why in pursuing progress in air quality international experts together to discuss air climate change and policy implications, as management, we had to contribute pollution and public health issues with the well as the negotiation positions of various energetically to the HKSAR Government!s Air Hong Kong public. This led to further funding countries (especially China), both locally and Quality Objective review; we continue to host support from various sources that enabled us internationally. Civic Exchange has gained a energy seminars to raise issues that are to provide targeted input to the HKSAR solid international reputation on climate- critical to sustainable development; and we Government!s consultation on the revision of related issues because we are able to take a must also put ideas to the Chief Executive the Air Quality Objectives. More significantly, broad approach that integrates science, during his annual policy address consultation Civic Exchange gestated and gave birth to a politics, economics, finance and and the Financial Secretary!s budget new NGO – Clean Air Network [CAN] – development. consultation. whose mission is public education and awareness building. As a policy research We also have a view about Hong Kong and Every government can improve its body, it has not been easy for Civic Exchange the positive role it can play as a leader in information handling capacity. For example, to devote sufficient time to community climate mitigation in China. We will promote public records and archival management is outreach. CAN will use our work and the work ideas on how this leadership can be incredibly important (although an overlooked of others to help raise public understanding of exercised in the coming years. In 2010, with subject), as is the provision of public the relevant issues. From September 2009, government involvement and support, we will information and transparency in public sector CAN has its own staff and office. be designing and hosting what may be one of decision-making. With proper handling of Asia!s premier climate change events. information plus genuine public engagement processes, governments can greatly benefit from harvesting public ideas that should then be acted upon. Civic Exchange has continued to design and organize dialogue and conflict prevention processes in community settings in Hong Kong, the mainland and internationally. 2 CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER’S MESSAGE Kylie Uebergang FUNDING LEVELS ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION Project donations in the FY08/09 amounted to almost HK$5.5 million, Projects of the environment and conservation nature made up 67% of which is 7.6% lower than last year!s relative high HK$5.9 million. We our total project focus this year compared to 80% in FY07/08 and 58% also reported a net loss of HK$146,505, although this was absorbed in FY06/07. Although this project category volume appears to have by our healthy net assets which closed at HK$741,849. decreased from the previous year, it is not the case. Rather, the scope of a number of environmentally-focused projects has expanded to FUNDING SOURCES include review of wider sustainability issues such as health, quality of life, liveability and economic impact. These wider societal Almost all of our funds (96%) were derived from local Hong Kong considerations result in an increasing number of our projects being sources compared past few years where an average of approximately categorised as “Overall Sustainable Development”. I expect this trend 80% of our funding for came from local sources and the rest from to continue in the future as it becomes ever more important to make International non-profits and/or foundations. I personally view this as a decisions based on multiple impacts which are impossible to consider positive trend as it shows that stimulus for review and change is being in isolation. driven locally even when there is a regional or international focus. With funding from the HKJCCT, we hosted “The Air We Breathe: A Almost 60% of total funding came from local charitable foundations, Public Health Dialogue” conference in January 2009. This conference 20% from the private/business sector and 17% from individuals. The brought together several years of research, hundreds of collaborators Public Sector (which includes HKSAR Government and other and participants including experts from around the globe and the publically-funded entities) contributed 1% of total funding and 4% launch of a public opinion survey “Hong Kong's Silent Epidemic – came from international foundations, although we can already see this Public Opinion Survey on Air Pollution, Environment and Public Health will change substantially in the coming year as Public Sector funding 2008”. We are excited to continue our collaboration with the HKJCCT, increases. as well as the HKSAR Government!s Environment & Conservation The main difference in our year-on-year funding sources was a Fund, which will culminate in a 4-day international event “Climate significant increase in local foundation funding (56% of total this year Dialogue – Low Carbon Cities for High Quality Living” in late 2010. compared to 15% of total in FY07/08 and 3% of total in FY06/07). We In addition to these larger international conferences, our more locally warmly welcomed the majority of this increased foundation funding focused events continued to be a popular way to enrich discussion on from an old friend, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust the issues of renewable energy, air pollution control and the role of the (HKJCCT) , who provided pioneering support for a number of air power sector in a #green! Pearl River Delta. quality-related conferences with international experts participation (see further details in funding uses below). Needless to say that climate change and air pollution continued to be a significant focus in FY08/09. Following on from the launch of Civic We are also delighted that the ADM Capital Foundation approved its Exchange!s book “Climate Change Negotiations: Can Asia Change third Civic Exchange Grant in FY08/09 and has recently confirmed a the Game?”, a number of discussions,

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