2015
Air
- Introduced regulations to control emissions from ocean-going vessels and non-road mobile machinery.
- Announced tighter emission caps for power plants from 2020.
- Continued to phase out pre-Euro IV diesel commercial vehicles through an ex-gratia payment scheme; by the end of 2015, about 38,600 had been phased out.
- Supported trials of greener vehicles, including electric buses.
- Set up zones in busy corridors where franchised bus operators can deploy only low-emission buses.
Noise
- Launched new webpages targeted at the construction trade and liquor-licensed establishments to promote good practices on mitigating noise from their operations.
- Completed resurfacing 61 road sections with low-noise road surfacing materials by the end of 2015. About 120,000 people have benefited.
- Completed retrofitting 17 existing road sections with noise barriers by the end of 2015, benefitting about 56,000 people.
Water
- Commissioned the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) Stage 2A.
- Achieved 100 per cent compliance with beach water quality objectives at all 41 gazetted beaches for the sixth year in a row.
- Launched activities to promote clean shorelines.
Environmental Assessment & Planning
- Signed a framework agreement with the Appraisal Center for Environment and Engineering under the Ministry of Environmental Protection, PRC, to strengthen exchanges and co-operation on environmental impact assessment.
- Approved 193 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports under the EIA Ordinance from 1998 to the end of 2015.
- Approved EIA reports for the Desalination Plant at Tseung Kwan O, In-situ Reprovisioning of Sha Tin Water Treatment Works – South Works, and a Flyover from Kwai Tsing Interchange upramp to Kwai Chung Road.
- Provided environmental advice on strategic studies for territorial development, new town development in the northern New Territories, and cavern and underground space development.
- Vetted the environmental implications of 321 funding and policy proposals submitted to decision-making bodies such as the Policy Committee, Executive Council and Legislative Council.
Environmental Compliance
- Supported implementation of Plastic Shopping Bag Charging to all retail outlets through enforcement and outreach.
- Conducted publicity and education activities on the proper disposal of construction waste at 26 locations.
- Installed pilot surveillance cameras at 12 black spots for construction waste fly-tipping under the Keep Clean 2015@Hong Kong: Our Home campaign.
- Installed surveillance cameras at Gin Drinkers Bay for a targeted campaign cracking down on the fly-tipping of commercial and construction waste.
Waste
- Earmarked $50 million through the Environment and Conservation Fund for community involvement projects on MSW charging.
- Introduced a legislative proposal for a Product Responsibility Scheme (PRS) on WEEE and awarded a contract to build a WEEE treatment and recycling facility.
- Introduced a legislative proposal for a PRS on glass beverage containers and expanded the glass container collection network to serve about 70 per cent of the population.
- Opened the first two Community Green Stations in Sha Tin and Eastern districts.
- Fully implemented the Plastic Shopping Bag Charging Scheme.
- Reviewed the Construction Waste Disposal Charging Scheme with a view to adjusting the charges.
- Launched the Food Wise Eateries Scheme to encourage outlets to reduce food waste.
- Received funding approval for the Integrated Waste Management Facilities Phase 1.
- Opened the T•PARK (a sludge treatment facility).
- Began a pilot trial on food waste-sewage sludge anaerobic co-digestion.
- Implemented the Waste Diversion Plan to prepare the Southeast New Territories Landfill for receiving only construction waste.
- Continued to make progress on the landfill extension projects.
- Began a study to identify the additional waste management and transfer facilities that Hong Kong will need up to 2041.
- Introduced statutory requirements to ensure refuse collection vehicles are equipped with proper environmental control equipment.
- Launched the Restored Landfill Revitalisation Funding Scheme.
Energy
- Launched the Energy Saving Plan for Hong Kong’s Built Environment and a target to reduce energy intensity by 40 per cent by 2025 compared with 2005.
- Launched the Energy Saving for All campaign to promote energy saving and efficiency in the community.
- Consulted the public on the future development of the electricity market.
- Announced the 2020 fuel mix for electricity generation, which will help Hong Kong achieve the target of reducing carbon intensity (the amount of greenhouse gases per unit of GDP) by 50-60 per cent by 2020 compared to 2005.
- Received recommendations from the Task Force on External Lighting on ways to reduce light nuisance and energy wastage from external lighting, and began to implement various measures.
Nature Conservation
- Co-organised the first Hong Kong Biodiversity Festival to raise awareness of biodiversity conservation and sustainability.
- Adopted the new UNESCO Global Geopark label.
- Launched the “Take Your Litter Home” public education programme in country parks.
- Strengthened control of the ivory trade.
- Consulted stakeholders on the boundary and management plan of the proposed Brothers Marine Park and prepared a draft map.
Customer Service and Partnership
- Collaborated with the Hong Kong Construction Association and operators in the private and public sectors to promote and recognise best practices.
- Collaborated with Kwun Tong, Wong Tai Sin, Kwai Tsing and Sham Shui Po District Councils on environmental building audits and green property management initiatives.
- Conducted workshops on the application of water-based vehicle refinishing paints for vehicle repair workshops.
- Held a seminar for restaurants on air pollution control equipment (APCE) to remove cooking fumes.
- Commissioned the Hong Kong Productivity Council to promote “Green Yu Lan” and demonstrate APCE for burning joss papers.
Community Awareness
- Launched the Clean Recycling Campaign on World Environment Day to encourage people to embrace clean recycling practices in daily life.
- Launched the Pilot Scheme on Shopping Bags Sharing in the Community to explore ways of sharing and re-using shopping bags.
- Organised the high-level Go Green Waste Less Summit for the 18 District Councils and community stakeholders.
- Collected 8,000 items of used computers and electronic appliances under the Schools Recycle WEEE Programme.
- Received 1,210 entries from companies to compete for the 2015 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence (HKAEE), and honoured 175 winners of the 2014 awards .
- Received more than 87,000 visitors to the Fanling, Tsuen Wan, Wan Chai and Mobile Environmental Centres, and the Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre.
- Enrolled more than 11,700 students in the Student Environmental Ambassador Scheme and awarded 52 schools with the Hong Kong Green School Award (HKGSA).
Sustainable Development
- Supported the Council for Sustainable Development in preparing for its new round of public engagement on “promotion of sustainable consumption of biological resources”.
- Launched the 12th round of application under the Sustainable Development Fund.
- Welcomed the participation of 57 schools in the Sustainable Development School Outreach Programme, and 52 schools in the Sustainable Development School Award Programme.
Cross-boundary And International Co-operation
- Embarked on a joint mid-term review with Guangdong to determine the air pollutant emission reduction results for 2015 and finalise the targets for 2020.
- Signed the Guangdong-Hong Kong Co-operation Agreement on Cleaner Production and held the first meeting of the Hong Kong- Guangdong Joint Working Group on Cleaner Production.
- Held the 14th and 15th meetings of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection.
- Held the 4th meeting of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Liaison Group on Combating Climate Change.
- Held the 20th meeting of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen Environmental Co-operation Forum.