| Synopsis
of ideas and recommendations |
| |
| This
is a policy paper developed by the Environment Committee of the
Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce on tackling
Hong Kong
's air pollution problem. The
paper consists of 43 ideas and recommendations, organized under
ten headings. The
purpose of this policy paper is to inform and guide further
action and discussion on what we consider to be one of the most
pressing issues confronting
Hong Kong
a world-class international city.
|
| |
| One:
Global citizenship
|
| 1. |
Specific
and more ambitious local green house gas emission targets, with
the
use of international emissions credits allowed towards achieving
the targets. |
| 2. |
Exploring
ways to develop
Hong Kong
into a financial platform for trading emissions, including
carbon emissions. |
| 3. |
Developing
and implementing carbon offset schemes. |
| 4. |
Pursuing
low-carbon developments through demonstration projects and
relevant carbon audit schemes, starting with the public sector. |
| 5. |
To
be more proactive in international forums on climate change. |
| 6. |
Through
CEPA, enabling
Hong Kong
companies to take a more active part in CDM projects. |
| 7. |
A
tripartite partnership approach (government, business and the
community) in addressing climate change, through promoting green
building, green lifestyle and green business practices. |
|
|
| Two:
Cooperation with the Mainland |
| 8. |
Extending
the emission trading regime between the HKSAR and Guangdong
Governments to cover carbon emissions. |
| 9. |
A moratorium on building any new coal-fired factories in the region. |
| 10. |
An
“environmental compact” campaign for Greater PRD investors
across the border. |
| 11. |
Hong
Kong
businesses to help bring in foreign
capital and technologies to help contribute to sustainable
development of the country. |
| 12. |
Compiling
and sharing a data set on stack emission in the region. |
| 13. |
A
“CEnPA” – Closer Environmental Partnership Arrangement
between HKSAR and
Guangdong
to facilitate sustainable development and environmental
improvement. |
|
|
| Three:
Energy policy |
| 14. |
Securing
the sustainable supply of liquefied natural gas in long term and
facilitating increasing use of natural gas. |
| 15. |
Adopting
a regulatory approach to encourage energy conservation by end
users. |
| 16. |
A
joint monitoring system between HKSAR and
Guangdong
to establish the capacity limits on emissions and to enable
regulation of the trading scheme and subsequent target setting. |
|
|
| Four:
Demand-side Management |
| 17. |
More
ambitious targets to encourage delivery of greater energy saving
by the power plants, including incentive schemes to encourage end-user
efficiency. |
| 18. |
A
community-wide promotion of responsible electricity consumption,
e.g. a “Better-Off” campaign to encourage households and
workplaces to switch off electrical appliances which are not in
use. |
| 19. |
A
“Save Electricity” educational programme to encourage the
use of less power-consuming appliances. |
| 20. |
Promotion
of voluntary adoption of temperature control for air
conditioning, e.g.
25.5C
. |
| 21. |
Promotion of green buildings and
green roofing. |
|
|
|
Five:
Infrastructure and urban planning
|
| 22. |
Integrating sustainable
development in respect of energy, transport and quality of life
into urban planning. |
| 23. |
Improving urban
design and promoting “green
space infrastructure” through urban greening. |
|
|
| Six:
Sustainable transport |
| 24. |
Developing
new railways to meet future demand. |
| 25. |
Introducing
zero-emission vehicles such as electric cars, trams and trolley
buses. |
| 26. |
Ban
on idling engines, with exemptions on certain types of vehicles
and non-peak hours. |
| 27. |
An
annual air quality certification for vehicles to encourage
eco-driving. |
| 28. |
Reducing redundant public bus routes,
rationalizing bus stops and restricting the proliferation
of private bus transport. |
| 29. |
Regulating
the operating time of delivery vehicles in congested areas. |
| 30. |
Electronic
road pricing as a means to reduce road traffic in congested
areas. |
| 31. |
Government replacing its
fleet with hybrid vehicles. |
|
|
| Seven:
Green procurement |
| 32. |
Support
of the Green Procurement Charter developed by the Hong Kong
Green Council. |
| 33. |
Adopting
the Chamber/BCE Clean Air Charter as a pre-requisite in
government procurement. |
|
|
| Eight:
Pollution tracking |
| 34. |
The
HKSAR and
Guangdong
governments to compile a complete database of pollution
sources. |
| 35. |
Pollution
mapping to enable more specific emission reduction targets to be
set, and to improve micro-climates of specific districts through
appropriate town planning and urban design measures. |
| 36. |
Studies to better understand acute exposure to
pollution in the heavily trafficked and poorly
ventilated street canyons. |
|
|
| Nine:
Transparency and reporting |
| 37. |
Full data disclosure of the air quality
monitoring network for the whole region. |
| 38. |
Re-orientating scientific resources towards providing quantitative information
at more regular intervals, thus enabling productive scientific
dialogue and engendering policy development.
|
| 39. |
All
government departments and publicly-owned corporations to
publish sustainability reports. |
| 40. |
A
“code of environment practices in the Mainland” for
Hong Kong
enterprises to help promote environmental management as a core
business competence. |
|
|
|
Ten: Building human capital for sustainability |
| 41. |
Further
development of human capital through our universities programmes
in public health, urban planning, environmental sciences,
meteorology, chemistry, engineering, energy, transportation,
manufacturing, architecture, building services, information
technology and instrumentation, and public policy. |
| 42. |
Top
government appointees in various policy areas that impact on
sustainability to have strong subject matter expertise. |
| 43. |
Through
the Environment and Conservation Fund, to coordinate various
programmes in public education targeted at different segments of
the population. |
|
|
| Introduction |