|
Letter to the Editor of the Financial Times dated 10 May, 2005 - Response to the letter headlined "Global hubs must have a breath of fresh air"
I refer to your article entitled "Global hubs must have a breath of fresh air" which appeared today.
We do not agree that the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSARG) has been slow in tackling the regional air pollution problem.
After the HKSARG and the Guangdong Provincial Government reached a consensus in April 2002 to reduce by 2010 the regional emissions of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, respirable suspended particulates and volatile organic compounds by 40%, 20%, 55% and 55% respectively, using 1997 as the base year, the two governments jointly drew up in December 2003 the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Management Plan with a view to meeting the emission reduction targets. The Pearl River Delta Air Quality Management and Monitoring Special Panel was also set up under the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection (JWG) to follow up the tasks under the Management Plan. In December 2004, the JWG reviewed the first year's progress of the Management Plan. A summary of the progress has been put on webpage for the public at http://www.etwb.gov.hk/press_releases_and_publications/press_releases/index.aspx?langno=1&nodeid=778&Branch=E&lstYear=2004&PressReleaseID=8877
In short, we saw satisfactory progress on implementing the Management Plan. In Hong Kong, we have tightened the motor petrol standard to Euro IV, which is among the most stringent standard around. Since March 31 this year, we have required all petrol filling stations to install vapour recovery systems for vehicle refueling. We will also tighten emission standards of newly registered vehicles to Euro IV from 2006. We are discussing with power companies measures to further reduce emissions through an emissions cap, to maximize the use of natural gas and to develop renewable energy. We are considering the comments received during a public consultation in late 2004 as well as discussing with relevant trades the details of a scheme to control volatile organic compounds emissions from paints, printing and selected consumer products.
Under the Management Plan, the Guangdong side has already begun a programme to retrofit all power generation units of a capacity above 125MW by 2007 with flue gas desulphurization systems. This project will involve power generation units with a total capacity of 11,290 MW and can reduce emission of sulphur dioxide by 225,000 tonnes each year. In 2004, retrofitting works at seven units in four power plants have been completed. Four power plants using liquefied natural gas as fuel will be commissioned in 2006 to reduce the reliance on coal for power generation. In addition, subways and railways are being built to reduce the dependence on road transport. Newly registered motor vehicles will be required to meet emissions standards equivalent to Euro II from July 2005 and more stringent standards are being planned for the next few years. Motor diesel fuel with sulphur content of 0.05% or below has also been introduced.
While the Special Panel will continue monitoring the progress of implementing the Management Plan in 2005, a regional air quality monitoring network covering the whole Pearl River Delta Region is being set up by the two governments. It will provide comprehensive and accurate air quality data to the public later in the year when it is commissioned. A regional emissions inventory based on a jointly developed handbook will be compiled so as to evaluate the changes in the emissions of Hong Kong and Guangdong since 1997.
In order to promote public education and technology of energy saving measures and clean production amongst the commercial and industrial sector in the PRD region, including those businesses owned by Hong Kong businessmen, a new Special Panel was set up under the JWG in December 2004.
I hope it is obvious from the measures set out in the preceding paragraphs that the HKSARG and Guangdong Provincial Government have been making strenuous efforts to tackle the problem of air pollution. We expect the air quality of the PRD Region to improve significantly when all the control measures are fully implemented in the next few years
Esmond Lee
Deputy Director of Environmental Protection
|
