IGU Council 2026 and 'Empowering a Sustainable Future' Summit to be Held in Hong Kong

According to the South China Morning Post, the International Gas Union (IGU) Council 2026 and the "Empowering a Sustainable Future" Summit will take place in Hong Kong from October 26 to October 29, providing a platform for leaders to discuss global energy security and price trends amid geopolitical uncertainties.

The Council meeting is expected to gather around 70 international delegates, while the main summit is anticipated to bring together approximately 500 government officials, academics, energy business executives, and industry experts globally for detailed panel discussions.

The summit, which will be held on October 29 at the Hopewell Hotel, will focus on four main subjects: Asia Pacific: The Engine of Global Natural Gas Market Development; China Natural Gas Market Development; Strategic Roadmaps for Asia’s Energy Evolution; and Finance as a Driver: Strengthening Support for Energy Development. The discussions will also cover artificial intelligence (AI), green finance, and low-carbon energy.

Keynote speakers confirmed for the event include Mr Tse Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology; Ir Arthur Li Hok-yin, Deputy Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services; and Ms Li Yalan, Vice President of the IGU. Furthermore, representatives from various international energy, financial, and academic bodies have been invited to participate.

An on-site exhibition will be available during the event, where leading energy companies can display their newest technologies and services to attendees. The IGU is described as the world's most influential and authoritative non-profit, member-based international organization in the gas sector, with its membership representing over 90% of the worldwide gas market share.

Towngas, which serves as the corporate member representing Hong Kong, has previously supported IGU activities, such as the Council Meeting in London last year and the 29th World Gas Conference in Beijing.

Mr Peter Wong Wai-yee, Managing Director of Towngas, stated that hosting this edition of the IGU meetings in Hong Kong aligns with the emergence of AI, which presents both challenges and opportunities for energy demand and applications. In response, the Hong Kong summit has specifically invited scholars and financial experts to offer forward-looking views on green financing and related subjects.

During the event, Towngas will arrange technical site visits for international delegates to observe Hong Kong's practical energy uses. Participants will examine a pilot facility in Sai Kung that generates power by extracting hydrogen from the existing gas pipeline network, which also provides supplementary hot water and electricity via a combined heat and power (CHP) unit. Delegates will also tour a waste-to-energy project in Tseung Kwan O that converts biogas from landfills into town gas.

This timing for the Hong Kong summit is noted as significant because it coincides with the start of the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, which outlines a path to accelerate the green transition and meet peak carbon and carbon neutrality goals. Concurrently, the HKSAR Government has issued its first Five-Year Plan to align with national development strategies.

As the host, Towngas expressed anticipation for welcoming global industry leaders to Hong Kong to collaborate on a sustainable future, aiming to showcase Hong Kong's energy transition progress and contribute local knowledge to global energy security and high-quality, sustainable growth.