Environment Bureau Environmental Protection Department ENVIRONMENT HONG KONG 2008
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1 Introduction

 
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HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A QUALITY LIVING ENVIRONMENT


The Hong Kong Government has set its sights on raising Hong Kong people's quality of life and improving the environment. These two goals are closely related. Environmental improvement inevitably brings health benefits and makes Hong Kong a more attractive and enjoyable place to live. However, the Government cannot achieve these goals on its own. Everyone must recognise they have responsibilities in all aspects of their daily lives to reduce their impacts and help Hong Kong achieve a more sustainable environment. In 2007, the Environment Bureau (ENB) and Environmental Protection Department (EPD) focused on this message.

Hong Kong can provide a good living environment to its citizens.

Hong Kong can provide a good living environment to its citizens.

Individual action

Poster

The "I Love Hong Kong! I Love Green!" campaign was launched during the year, bringing our community awareness activities under one umbrella. The campaign asks people to adopt greener practices in their daily lives and reduce energy consumption and waste, particularly in transport, dining, clothing and at-home activities. If every individual takes action, the collective impact will be a better environment.

Poster

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This is especially the case for energy consumption and waste. Air pollution is a great concern in the community and the main sources, power plants and motorised vehicles, are related to daily activities. If people use electricity more efficiently, purchase more energy-efficient products and take public transport over taxis or private cars, they can help reduce pollution significantly. Similarly, if people recycle more of their daily waste and choose products that produce less waste, they can help to save landfill space and reduce the amount of rubbish requiring disposal.

The ENB and EPD are trying to help people take these necessary actions to reduce their impacts. A new bill on energy efficiency labelling was introduced to the Legislative Council in 2007, which would require certain products to carry labels on their energy performance. Producer responsibility schemes are being set up to encourage the makers of certain products to take them back for recycling. The Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste is bringing waste recycling and reduction close to people's homes and in 2007 was extended to 766 housing estates covering 42 per cent of the population.

Dr Mike CHIU, Deputy Director of Environmental Protection, and celebrities Mr LAU Ching-wang and Ms KWOK Hoi-ming, at an event to promote the Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste.

Dr Mike CHIU, Deputy Director of Environmental Protection, and celebrities Mr LAU Ching-wang and Ms KWOK Hoi-ming, at an event to promote the Programme on Source Separation of Domestic Waste.


Input on new policies

The EPD holds a public consultation forum on the review of Air Quality Objectives for the general public.

The EPD holds a public consultation forum on the review of Air Quality Objectives for the general public. 
These programmes all help to support individual action. However, public involvement in environmental protection is not confined to the home and office. People can also contribute by participating in public consultations and providing the Government with feedback on which areas need to be addressed and which policies are likely to work in Hong Kong. This is an essential step in building a consensus on new initiatives.

An example of the positive effect of public input is in our energy programme. In 2007 we negotiated new Scheme of Control Agreements (SCAs) to regulate the power industry. Earlier, in 2005 and 2006, we consulted the public on the issue and found strong support for introducing more controls on polluting emissions, among other things. This strengthened our hand in negotiating with the power companies. By the end of 2007, we were putting final touches on new SCAs that included linking the permitted rate of return of the power companies to their emission performance and providing incentives for investing in renewable energy.

Public concern over air quality also gave impetus to other initiatives in 2007, including tighter controls on vehicles and fuel, new limits on smog-producing volatile organic compound levels in certain products and continued progress in cross-boundary co-operation over regional air pollution. And if there was any doubt about the depth of feeling about air pollution in the community, this was set aside in light of a public engagement exercise on the issue by the Council for Sustainable Development in 2007, in which it received an unprecedented, over 80 000 responses from the public.

The Council for Sustainable Development holds a public engagement session on Road Pricing.

The Council for Sustainable Development holds a public engagement session on Road Pricing.

Waste management is another area where public involvement and support is essential. Our three strategic landfills will run out of space one by one in less than a decade and we must develop new facilities. We need the public to understand the urgency of the situation and co-operate in helping us to address it. The ENB and EPD are working to extend the existing landfills, develop integrated waste management facilities and build other facilities that will help with the treatment and disposal of waste. At every stage there is a high degree of public consultation and stakeholder engagement.

Hong Kong's three strategic Landfills: North East New Territories Landfill (left), West Territories Landfill (Centre) and South East New Territories Landfill (right).

Hong Kong's three strategic landfills: North East New Territories Landfill (left), West New Territories Landfill (centre) and South East New Territories Landfill (right).


Paying for pollution

A Brighter Future for Our Harbour.

One last way in which the public can contribute to the environment is under the polluter pays principle. Everybody is a polluter and at some stage they must help to bear the financial costs of collecting and treating their pollution, either through taxes or paying directly. The Legislative Council supported this principle in 2007 when it approved increases in sewage charges. Earlier, a public consultation had found support for applying the polluter pays principle to sewage charges. The charges will be raised in increments over the next ten years so we can achieve fuller recovery of the operating costs. This will provide a secure foundation for building the next stage of the Harbour Area Treatment Scheme (HATS) to clean up Victoria Harbour.

Public support can come in different forms. People can take direct action. They can pay towards cleaning up their pollution. They can become informed about new proposals and not stand in the way of essential work. They can share their views on new policy areas, proposals and projects and help us to ensure we address their concerns. They can do any one or all of these things. The most important factor is that they become involved in some form. Without public involvement, our initiatives to improve the environment cannot succeed. By being involved and by showing they care about their environment, people can help to create a sustainable environment that will be healthy for present and future generations.

Mr Edward YAU, Secretary for the Environment (third from right) and Ms Anissa WONG, Permanent Secretary for the Environment (second from right), officiate the computer recycling programme launching ceremony.

Mr Edward YAU, Secretary for the Environment (third from right) and Ms Anissa WONG, Permanent Secretary for the Environment (second from right), officiate the computer recycling programme launching ceremony.

 
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