Resource Library

Source: GSC
Overview, Problem Statement & How to get started with the challenge

Welcome to the Global Sustainability Challenge (GSC) Webinar focusing on Adaptation & Resilience — one of the core themes set out for this international competition.

Hosted by Alyssa Gilbert, Director of Innovation at Grantham Institute for Climate change and the Environment, Imperial College London.

🧩 Alyssa unpacks:

• What adaptation and resilience mean for people, nature, and infrastructure
• Real-world case studies, from urban flooding to drought-prone regions
• How to start your GSC journey: from local research to global solutions
• Guidance on forming teams, defining problems, and developing your idea

🎯 Get insider tips on what judges are looking for, advice for building a winning team, and practical examples to inspire your submission.

Source: GSC Sustainable Energy Overview, Problem Statement & how to get started.

This insightful session, hosted by ​Dr Kenneth Leung - Director of Sustainability/Net-Zero Office, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (‪@hkust‬), provides students participants of the Challenge with a detailed overview of the critical need for energy transformation and innovative solutions as well as important information about the 2025-26 inaugural edition of the Challenge.

🔥 The Urgency of Energy Transformation

The session highlights the major drivers for energy transformation, noting that global temperatures have been rising consistently since 1920, with the rate speeding up since the 1960s. By 2023, the world had already reached the 1.5°C increase goal set by the Paris Agreement.

This rise causes escalating climate change impacts worldwide, including stronger typhoons (especially in the Asia region/Hong Kong), droughts, extreme heat, and rising sea levels. This crisis is directly linked to the tremendous use of fossil fuels, which provide 85% of the world's energy consumption and account for close to 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

This session featured Dr. Kenneth Leung, Director of Sustainability/Net-Zero Office, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Dr. Leung joined HKUST in January 2025. He holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from Imperial College London and has over 30 years of professional experience covering combustion science, air quality management, climate change, electric vehicles, and new energy applications.