Air Quality Objectives Concern Group PRESS RELEASE (For Immediate Release)
Feel Good Engagement - Problems with the SD Council’s Consultation Exercise ----------------Exercise Does Not Provide Clean Choices for Improving Air Quality ----------------Experts Concerned That Consultation Will Not Lead to Clean Air
(15 October 2007) Today the Air Quality Objectives Concern Group (AQOCG) submitted its response to the Council for Sustainable Development’s Clean Air – Clear Choices Public Engagement Exercise. While the AQOCG is highly supportive of public debate on air quality it has serious concerns about the way the current exercise was structured: • • • • •
The subject of the exercise comprises three different issues with no logical connection: High Pollution Day Alerts, Road Pricing and Demand Side Management. None of the issues are addressed in sufficient detail. The structure suggests, incorrectly, that other problems have been/are being dealt with. The discussion and questions sow confusion on particular issues. The questions are unlikely to gather useful data.
The group of health, science and public policy researchers outlined the limitations of the exercise and cautioned that the data collected may not be meaningful and could be highly misleading for policy formation purposes. The group’s response explains how the current exercise fails to provide appropriate public education on the complex and technical issues of air pollution and the stringent air quality policies recommendations that are needed to reverse the rise in air pollution and protect public health.
- END PRESS RELEASE For a full copy of the AQOCG Response visit http://www.civic-exchange.org/publications/2007/aqocgres.pdf Further comments and information are available from the following AQO Concern Group members: ♦
♦ ♦
♦
Department of Community Medicine, School of Public Health, HKU: Professor Anthony Hedley (commed@hkucc.hku.hk or 9079 2233) Professor Sarah McGhee (smmcghee@hkucc.hku.hk or 9370 4241) Professor CM Wong hrmrwcm@hkucc.hku.hk or 2819 9109) Department of Community and Family Medicine, CUHK: Professor T W Wong (twwong@cuhk.edu.hk or 93047636) Institute for the Environment, HKUST: Dr Alexis Lau (alau@ust.hk or 9181 1428) Dr Bill Barron (barron@ust.hk or 9236 4373) Civic Exchange: Ms Chrisitne Loh (cloh@civic-exchange.org or 9802 8888) Ms Michele Weldon (mweldon@civic-exhcange.org or 6271 4147)
AQOCG
1