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D. Hong Kong Our Home
90. The third challenge is how to meet public demands for a quality life. Hong Kong is a modern world city. For residents, a quality living environment -- covering air quality, living space, cultural infrastructure and heritage conservation -- is just as important as economic growth. Over the past two decades, Hong Kong has transformed from a manufacturing base into a services-based economy. Such a transformation has impacted on urban planning, and set the stage for us to re-examine ways to beautify our cityscape and upgrade the quality of life to make Hong Kong an ideal home.
91. The Government is now reviewing the air quality objectives. To improve air quality in the long run, we will adopt targets in stages giving due regard to the World Health Organization's guidelines.
Developing the PRD Region into a Green and Quality Living Area
92. We must press ahead with sustainable development. While we help our economy power ahead, we must protect the environment and ecology. We also need to work hand-in-hand with neighbouring areas to foster the development of an economy that is based on low energy consumption and low pollution in the PRD Region.
93. To further strengthen our co-operation on environmental protection, we have reached a consensus with the Guangdong Provincial Government on jointly transforming the PRD Region into a green and quality living area under the principle of promoting environmental protection and sustainable development. Our common goal is to enhance the appeal and competitiveness of the Province and the Region.
94. To achieve this goal, Hong Kong and Guangdong will work together in the areas of post-2010 emission reduction arrangements, the optimisation of the fuel mix for power generation, the development and wider use of renewable energy, vehicle emissions reductions, enhanced conservation and greening, scientific research, as well as publicity and education. We will also discuss in detail our objectives, specific measures and co-operation mechanism.
Low Carbon Economy
95. We will make early preparations to meet the challenge of climate change. In particular, we will enhance energy efficiency, use clean fuels, rely less on fossil fuel, and promote a low carbon economy -- an economy based on low energy consumption and low pollution.
Clean Fuels
96. Improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are among the Government's top priorities. As electricity generation is a major source of pollution in Hong Kong, I pay special attention to ways of reducing coal-fired power generation and promoting the wider use of clean fuels while maintaining secure supplies of energy.
97. The Memorandum of Understanding signed between the HKSAR Government and the National Energy Administration on 28 August 2008 ensures a long-term and stable supply of nuclear electricity, and the supply of natural gas from three different sources -- namely, offshore gas, piped gas, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be supplied through an LNG terminal to be built, as a joint venture, on a neighbouring Mainland site. At present, 28% of electricity generated by power plants in Hong Kong is gas-fired. To improve air quality and address the challenges posed by global warming, we will actively explore ways to gradually increase the use of clean energy by, for example, increasing the proportion of natural gas for local electricity generation to 50%. As part of our review of the air quality objectives, we will consult the public on this and other measures to improve air quality.
Enhancing Energy Efficiency in Buildings
98. Energy consumption is closely related to greenhouse gas emissions. In Hong Kong, buildings account for 89% of total power consumption. As such, we will legislate for the mandatory compliance of Building Energy Codes to improve energy efficiency in new and existing buildings as soon as possible.
Energy Audits
99. I propose reserving $150 million under the Environment and Conservation Fund to partially subsidise building owners to conduct comprehensive energy and carbon audits. I propose reserving another $300 million to offer building owners partial subsidies for energy efficiency projects.
Promoting Energy Conservation
100. To further promote energy efficiency and conservation, and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions substantially, we plan to implement a district cooling system at the Kai Tak Development to supply chilled water to buildings in the new development area for centralised air-conditioning.
101. We enacted the legislation on the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme in May this year. We will propose amendments to the Energy Efficiency (Labelling of Products) Ordinance in 2009 for the second phase of the Scheme. In addition, to promote the use of more energy-efficient lighting products, we will study the need to restrict the sale of incandescent light bulbs. The Government will also assess the problem of energy wastage of external lighting and study the feasibility of tackling the problem through legislation.
Waste Management
102. We will continue to reduce waste at source and encourage waste recovery and recycling. Following the enactment of the Product Eco-responsibility Ordinance by this Council, we will introduce an environmental levy on plastic shopping bags at selected retail outlets next year. The Government will monitor the effectiveness of this initiative and consider how best to extend its coverage. To promote waste recovery and recycling, apart from the source separation of waste programme in residential, commercial and industrial buildings, the Government has enacted legislation for the provision of a refuse storage and material recovery room on each floor of new residential buildings.
103. The disposal of electrical and electronic equipment affects the environment. While we continue our efforts to promote the voluntary Producer Responsibility Scheme (PRS), we will study the possibility of introducing a mandatory PRS through legislation to cover other electrical products. We will consult the community and the trade on our proposals.
(To be continued)
Ends/Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:16
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