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The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, said today (January 28) that Hong Kong had taken vigorous measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote energy efficiency.
Officiating at the opening of the Symposium on ¡§Electrical and Mechanical Safety and Energy Efficiency ¡V A Better Future for All¡¨, Mr Yau, said, ¡§We are taking the lead in raising public awareness of climate change and introducing energy saving measures at different levels. A bill on the mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme is now being vetted by the Legislative Council."
¡§The first phase of the mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling scheme covers three types of household electric products - room air conditioners, refrigerating appliances and compact fluorescent lamps which accounts for more than 70% of our residential electricity consumption.¡¨
He said the mandatory scheme could help inform consumers of the energy efficiency performance of those products and encourage ¡§greener¡¨ and ¡§smarter¡¨ purchasing decisions.
On energy efficiency in buildings, Mr Yau said the Government was collecting public views on the proposed mandatory implementation of the Building Energy Codes for certain new and existing buildings through a three-month consultation launched in December.
On a wider front, he said that Hong Kong was pursuing other initiatives such as emissions reduction by power companies, the wider use of clean fuels in vehicles, power plants as well as industrial and commercial processes, and a programme to assist Hong Kong-owned factories in the Pearl River Delta in adopting cleaner production processes.
The Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr. Ho Kwong-wai, said at the symposium opening, ¡§According to a survey on public awareness of electrical and mechanical safety and energy efficiency commissioned by EMSD last September, Hong Kong people have shown increased awareness of the safety and energy saving issues, in particular the younger respondents aged between 10 and 14."
Mr Ho said that the latest findings from Hong Kong¡¦s Council of Sustainable Development echoed this trend.
¡§These are all welcome signs that our citizens are increasingly aware of the responsibility to do their part for the common good.¡¨
The annual Symposium on Electrical and Mechanical Safety and Energy Efficiency is organised by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department. Under the theme "A Better Future for All", the symposium covers the current developments and technological advances that will enable a safer, greener and hence better living environment.
The symposium provides an occasion for about 450 participants from local and overseas professional institutions, consultants, contractors, universities, trade associations, and green groups to exchange views on electrical and mechanical safety and energy efficiency.
Ends/Monday, January 28, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:06
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