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Letter to the Editor of SCMP dated 28 September 2006 - Response to two letters entitled "Enough fudging - HK needs air quality targets now" and "Name and Shame"
I refer to two letters on this week's forum on air quality objectives: fellow council member Wong Tze-wai's "Enough fudging - HK needs new air quality targets now" (September 25) and Paul Serfaty's "Name and shame" (September 28).
The Advisory Council on the Environment recognises the importance of improving air quality and believes that the community as a whole should join hands to tackle the challenge. We fully support the need to review our air quality objectives with reference to the World Health Organisation's draft guidelines and international developments.
Apart from urging the government to complete the review as soon as possible, the council believes this exercise should be accompanied by a long-term air quality strategy aligned with other policy areas such as energy, transport and town planning.
Given the concern about air quality, the council recognises the importance of engaging experts, academics, stakeholders and the general public in the review. That is why we organised the public forum on September 18. Professor Wong's firm views were shared by some people attending the forum. Others cautioned that the revised air quality objectives should be realistic and achievable. In a pluralistic society such as ours, opinion of every shade should be treasured and respected. I encourage everyone to come forward and argue their views with vigour and tenacity. This is the only way to ensure that the outcome of the review is acceptable to the community at large.
Finally, I find unfortunate Mr Serfaty's suggestion that some members of the council are against the environment. Their views, which were different from Professor Wong's, highlight important issues that need dealing with in the review. They should not wrongly be perceived to imply a lack of commitment to the environment.
Lam Kin-che
Chairman,
Advisory Council on the Environment
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