15 July 2006
Members of the Advisory Council on The Environment 40/F, Revenue Tower 5 Gloucester Road Hong Kong Dear Members of ACE,
Re: Reviewing the Air Quality Objectives We are heartened to hear from the Chief Executive’s recent statements that fighting air pollution is now a top government priority. We believe ACE can play an important role to press for a strong air quality strategy that will truly protect Hong Kong people’s health. We believe the government needs to have two crucial policy tools to expedite a comprehensive programme to clean the air and to dramatically improve the city’s energy efficiency. These tools are: 9
A new set of Air Quality Objectives, along the lines of the World Health Organisation’s new Global Air Quality Guidelines (coming into effect in September 2006) that are then turned into Air Quality Standards with legislative backing; and
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A new Integrated Energy Policy to ensure the public can enjoy reliable and safe energy supplies at reasonable prices within an energy system that:
Provides energy services at least cost to society; Does not waste scarce energy resources; Generates and uses energy highly efficiently; Seeks to spur economic growth; Protects the environment; Reduces Hong Kong’s contribution to climate change; Increases human resource productivity; and Promotes public health.
We have noted the government’s briefing paper (14/2006) and proposal (as per paragraph 24) on launching a study to review Hong Kong’s AQOs, which is scheduled for discussion on 17th July 2006 by you. Apart from those items in paragraph 24 (a) to (d), the government must also evaluate the consequences of not Visit us at: www.civic-exchange.org 思匯政策研究所 香港中環雲咸街 69 號賀善尼大廈 7 樓 701 室 ROOM 701 HOSEINEE HOUSE, 69 WYNDHAM STREET CENTRAL, HONG KONG TEL: (852) 2893-0213 FAX: (852) 3105 9713
substantially reversing the worsening air quality quickly, as such external costs may well undermine Hong Kong’s attractiveness as a place to live and work. We urge you also to raise and press this point during your meeting today so that it could be included in the study brief to be commissioned by the government. We enclose our letter to the Chief Executive for your reference, as well as a series of research papers we had published on air quality.
Yours sincerely, Christine Loh Chief Executive Officer
Enclosures: 1. 2. 3. 4.
5. 6.
Particulate Matter Standards in HK & PRD Region, Nov. 2004 Owning up to Responsibility for Manufacturing Contributions to the PRD’s Poor Air Quality, March 2006 Marine Emission Reduction Options for HK & PRD Region, March 2006 Energy Supply and Fuels Supply in Guangdong – Impact on Air Quality in HK and Guangdong, March 2006 (updated in June 2006) Air Pollution: Costs and Paths to a Solution, June 2006 Letter to Chief Executive dated 17 July 2006
Visit us at: www.civic-exchange.org 思匯政策研究所 香港中環雲咸街 69 號賀善尼大廈 7 樓 701 室 ROOM 701 HOSEINEE HOUSE, 69 WYNDHAM STREET CENTRAL, HONG KONG TEL: (852) 2893-0213 FAX: (852) 3105 9713