Friends of the Earth (Hong Kong)
Position Paper on
Air Pollution in Hong Kong
Full Paper
December 2009Welcome to download the PDF fileSummary of the paper:
1. The Issue: Air Pollution in Hong KongBackground: Air pollution in Hong Kong is attributed by both local and regional sources. While the impact of regional pollution is growing as a result of economic growth and urbanization in the Pearl River Delta, local emissions coming from power plants, road transport, and increasingly from the shipping and port sector needs to be addressed irrespective of the scale of regional pollution.
Long-term Trends: While total emissions of SO2, NOx and PM10 were roughly halved from 1990 to 2007, air quality readings measured at the monitoring stations (as annual mean concentrations) between 1994 and 2007 had showed no noticeable improvement. Alarmingly, roadside air quality has consistently stayed at unhealthy levels, usually a few times above World Health Organization”¦s recommended threshold values.
Adverse Health Effects: Air pollution is putting a heavy disease burden on Hong Kong people ”V especially the pregnant, the elderly, children, and people with pre-existing illnesses - in the forms of acute and chronic damage to our cardiovascular and respiratory systems. However, this is just the tip of an iceberg of a problem, as undiagnosed harms are probably affecting an even broader population.
Costs of Air Pollution: In monetary terms, the costs of air pollution could be conservatively estimated at over HK$20 billion a year, including direct health care cost, productivity loss, and other intangible costs. In addition, poor air and low visibility are costing Hong Kong foreign investments, overseas talents, and tourists, to name a few.
Legislation and Administration Gaps: The Air Pollution Control Ordinance and the Air Quality Objectives are inadequate to protect the public from the health risks posed by air pollution. Hong Kong needs an air quality standard now strong enough to protect its people, and with a review mechanism to keeping it in line with international standards.
Communication Gaps: The Air Pollution Index, which is calculated based on the outdated Air Quality Objectives, is misleading and has failed to communicate to the general public the health risk of air pollution. We need a communication tool that will warn us of the risk of poor air in a timely manner.
Policy Gaps: Government has so far failed to connect air pollution and public health, denying itself a legitimate reason to drive air policy. While lots of efforts were taken to combat emissions, most of them were piecemeal, tailpipe measures with limited and short-lived impacts. Hong Kong has to start preventing emissions at source, and managing energy use, as better means to make significant reduction in air pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions over the long term.
Public Opinion: Some of the new air management measures may involve a fundamental change in consumption behaviour and life style, which were proven in the past to be a non-starter with the public. However, recent studies show that public opinion has swung in favour of 'green' policies, even those with a cost implication. Polluter pays principle is slowly, but surely getting more public support.
Climate Change Consideration: In light of the threat of climate change, measures that offer ”„co-benefits”¦ of reducing both local or regional pollution and greenhouse gas emissions should be given a higher priority.
2. FoE's Position on Air Pollution in Hong Kong(A) FoE urges the Hong Kong Government to immediately adopt the full WHO air quality guidelines as Hong Kong”¦s new air quality standards, with mandatory review of the standards carried out once every five years.
(B) FoE maintains that there is still a lot to be done in curbing local emissions; emission prevention at source and resource use management and minimization should be preferred over end-of-pipe cleaning and treatment.
(C) FoE believes that regional air pollution remains a serious problem, which requires a strong working relationship and long term commitment between the HKSAR government and the Guangdong authorities to make greater improvement.
3. FoE's Recommendations(A) Overarching Goals:-Adopt full WHO air quality guidelines as Hong Kong's air quality standards to protect public health, with a mandatory review mechanism and a new standard for PM2.5.
-Implement a new health-based API system, based on the new air quality standards, for the effective communication of air pollution information and health risks.
-Set clear targets for Hong Kong in terms of energy saving and GHG reduction
(B) Road Transport:-Devise an overall plan to reduce traffic emission and transport energy use ”V by promoting the use of low-emission, low-carbon and energy-efficient vehicles through financial incentives, and the phasing out of all pre-Euro, Euro I, and Euro II vehicles.
-Specific measures to target the major roadside polluters ”V buses, goods vehicles and other diesel commercial vehicles ”V conducting more frequent emission tests, deploying clean buses in more urban corridors, expanding bus route rationalization and bus-bus interchange schemes, phasing out old diesel commercial vehicles, regulating the use of poor quality fuel by cross-border vehicles, etc.
-Set up low-emission zones (LEZs) in the most crowded and congested urban areas to protect the public from roadside pollution.
-Reduce unnecessary road traffic and vehicle use, especially for short-distance journeys, by promoting pedestrian-friendly and transit-oriented urban planning.
-Impose emission cap in stages on bus companies through franchise agreements, as well as on other commercial fleet operators and the government vehicle fleet.
(C) Marine Sector:-Ban the use of high-sulphur marine fuel by all ocean-going vessels and river vessels within Hong Kong waters.
-Re-devise a vessel speed reduction programme for ocean-going vessels that reward compliant vessels / companies through financial incentives like lower port dues.
-Impose emission cap on ferry operators through franchise agreements, and on other local craft operators.Tighten fuel standard for local crafts from marine light diesel (0.5% sulphur content) to ultra low sulphur diesel (0.005% sulphur content).
-Make mandatory the provision of shore power in all new berthing facilities and upgrade existing port facilities to the same effect.
(D) Power Sector:-Demand a fuel mix policy of at least 50% natural gas and a greater portion of renewable energy for power generation when they become cost-effective.
-Re-align the rationale behind future Scheme of Control (SoC) for the two power companies by rewarding them not for selling more electricity through higher asset investment, but for helping customers to cut their electricity bill by using energy more efficiently.
-Make sure all the emission reduction projects committed by the two power companies be completed on time, and the total emission caps imposed through the SoC be achieved accordingly.
(E) Urban Planning and Design:-Reduce energy consumption of Hong Kong, especially the urban core area, through innovative urban planning and design ”V encouraging city planning designs that make use of clean energy and natural cooling, providing sufficient air passages between buildings to reduce 'street canyon effect' and 'wall effect', encouraging urban and rooftop greening to reduce urban temperature and the use of air conditioning, etc.
(F) Collaboration with the Pearl River Delta:-Develop a comprehensive air quality management strategy that addresses locally produced air pollution and facilitates collaboration with the PRD in reducing regional air pollution in different sectors, through promoting energy efficiency, tightening fuel and emission standards, strengthening law enforcement, promoting clean energy and production, etc.
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