Clear air is within Hong Kong’s grasp if authorities will do their job
- The Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong 2035 is a laudable approach that will embrace the latest technology and provide the public with easily accessible information
- Those tasked with executing the plan need clearly defined targets as taking several years to meet lowered expectations is no longer acceptable
Most of these policies had time frames of at least 15 years, but the tenure of the current administration will end around a year from now. This inevitably raises doubts on the continuity of the policy implementation cycle from planning, implementation and review to enhancement.
To ensure these environmental goals are met during future administrations, the government needs to incorporate mechanisms to track progress and a requirement to update the Legislative Council at least annually.
The follow-through on road maps launched by past environment ministers has been lax. For instance, well-articulated targets together with timelines were set in a forward-looking road map titled “A Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (2005-2014)” that was launched by former environment minister Sarah Liao Sau-tung in 2005.
There are six major areas of action aiming to reach two broad targets. This has led to criticism since only one of the targets is tied to a timeline.
Today, technological advancement is advancing at high speed, for example from battery-powered to hydrogen fuel-cell electric systems for private cars. Some heavy commercial vehicles are already powered by these technologies overseas.
The Environmental Protection Department’s 2020 air quality data showed that some air pollutants have reduced significantly and are getting close to or have already met the guidelines. For instance, the 24-hour maximum concentration of sulphur dioxide last year was 16 micrograms per cubic metre, which is well below the guideline of 20 micrograms per cubic metre.
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The air quality objectives of Hong Kong for sulphur dioxide will be tightened to 50 micrograms per cubic metre as part of the Clean Air Plan. But this is the second WHO interim target, whereas the city has already met a more stringent target.
Respirable suspended particulates and fine suspended particulates are also health-threatening pollutants. They will be tightened to 50 and 25 micrograms per cubic metre by next January. The city is likely to reach at least the WHO’s third interim target of 30 and 15 micrograms per cubic metre if environmental authorities treat the plan seriously and follow through on all the planned actions with no delays.
Many other air pollutants such as ozone remain unacceptably high, and much effort is needed to address them. Taking another 14 years to reach an easy target instead of the WHO guidelines is not acceptable.
Edwin Lau Che-feng is executive director at The Green Earth. [email protected]