1. Home
    2. / Green Info / News Center / Media News / Friends of the Earth (HK) Response to the 2021 Policy Address : Forward and Backward, Hong Kong Needs to Shift High Gear to Achieve Zero Carbon and Zero Waste
Media News

Friends of the Earth (HK) Response to the 2021 Policy Address : Forward and Backward, Hong Kong Needs to Shift High Gear to Achieve Zero Carbon and Zero Waste

2021-10-06



The 2021 Policy Address is released today. It is good to see a greater focus on climate and waste policies after last year’s performance. Friends of the Earth (HK) praises the government for adopting our recommendation to set up an office for coordinating climate actions and decarbonisation strategy. We also welcome the logical decision to have the Environmental Protection Department to oversee resource management—we expect this to improve waste recycling and reduction efforts in Hong Kong.

Friends of the Earth (HK) is however disappointed to hear that, despite the move to resume brownfields, the government intends to further devastate the natural environment through increasing land reclamation efforts and eyeing to develop green belts.

In particular, Friends of the Earth (HK) urges the government consider the following climate policies:

1. Renewable Energy: The target to increase the share of renewable energy to 15% of the energy mix is a far cry from what Hong Kong needs to do achieve carbon neutrality when electricity generation contributes the most to the city’s carbon emission. Instead of relying on natural gas, Hong Kong should be working with the Greater Bay Area to harness the region’s still-untapped potential in solar, onshore and offshore wind, and tidal energy.

2.Carbon Pricing: While Friends of the Earth (HK) supports the move to assess Hong Kong’s potential of becoming a regional carbon trading centre, carbon-emitting activities in the city still do not bear their true cost. Hong Kong should follow the global trend to internalise the negative environmental externalities and put a price on carbon.

3. Low-Carbon Transport: Commercial and public transportation must be electrified much earlier than the current proposed target of only setting a timetable around 2025. This should be supported with walking and cycling policies to promote alternative low-carbon, healthy modes of transport.

4. Green Finance: To strengthen Hong Kong as a regional green and sustainable finance hub, the government embrace international best practices and incubate professionals on ESG and green finance. The city should further support impact underwriting in insurance and insurance linked market to drive sustainable and net zero insurance.

5.Policy Orientation: The government is the biggest and most significant player in driving large-scale changes. Hong Kong’s sustainable, low-carbon shift requires a recognition this should be the overarching goal of the government and not that of a single bureau. Bureaux and departments must work together—and not as silos—to integrate environmental policies in a holistic manner.

Friends of the Earth (HK) looks forward to reading the "Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050” in depth to see how the government intends to lead the city to a climate-resilient economy and future.

Friends of the Earth (HK) Submission on the 2021 Policy Address (link)

Photo's credit: Inhabitat

Interested Topic：
City Forestry, Forestry City
Air
Climate Change
Economic
Keyword：
Previous News
Friends of the Earth (HK) Response to the "Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050": Walk the Climate Talk, Secure a Climate-Safe Future
Next News
Hong Kong Green Finance Parallel Session of 8th KIDF Successfully Held Leading the Low-Carbon Economy Transformation to Carbon Neutrality
You may find interested in
In support of Earth Day, Friends of the Earth (HK) and Financial Services Development Council today jointly organized the annual forum "Earth Forum 2022" with the theme "The Prospect of Hong Kong Climate Exchange". The forum was held in the form of focus group discussion with Mr. Joseph Chan, JP, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Hong Kong SAR government as its officiating guest. Representatives from Hong Kong regulators, carbon trading experts, environmental scholars and Mainland policy makers were invited to discuss the prerequisites for the establishment of a Hong Kong Climate Exchange and the prospects for cross-border cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong, and to analyze the future opportunities of carbon finance development in Hong Kong.
In the third part of the climate report released this month, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stressed that if the world does not make immediate and deep cuts to emissions, limiting global warming to 1.5°C will be beyond reach. The Hong Kong government must demonstrate determination and accelerate the implementation of a strong climate strategy to achieve carbon neutrality.
The Green and Sustainable Finance Cross-Agency Steering Group (Steering Group) today published its preliminary feasibility assessment of carbon market opportunities for Hong Kong. Friends of the Earth (HK) supports the Steering Group’s recommendations to develop Hong Kong into a regional carbon trading centre. Friends of the Earth (HK) believes the unique position of Hong Kong can be of great advantage to collaborate with the Guangzhou Futures Exchange on carbon market development and act as the Mainland's offshore risk management centre. In particular, the potential establishment of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Unified Carbon Market could encourage more listed companies and international companies to freely purchase high-quality voluntary emission reduction credits through the carbon trading platform in Hong Kong to offset their carbon emissions.
The Panel on Environmental Affairs reviewed the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) today. Friends of the Earth (HK) supports the government’s intent to integrate smart platforms and big data analysis into the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process and develop an open centralised environmental database (CED), allowing for consultants, academics and the public to reference and study. Friends of the Earth (HK) stresses that every step of the EIA is important. The government should not skimp on details to optimise the process, else the EIA will become a rubber stamp.
Back To Top