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Following is a question by the Hon Frederick Fung and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, in the Legislative Council today (March 18):
Question:
It has been reported that both the United Nations Environment Programme 2008 Annual Report and the World Bank's overview of the Latin America region released early this year pointed out that global climate would approach its critical point for climate change in the coming few years, and that the speed for global climate change would be faster than what had been expected in the 2007 Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Moreover, the Carnegie Institution for Science of the United States also advised that the increase in emissions of carbon dioxide had reached a rate of 3.5% each year since 2000, which was 0.9 percentage point higher than the emissions of the 1990s, and that the speed of increase was also faster than what had been expected by IPCC. It is learnt that the Hong Kong Observatory recorded a mean temperature of 20.5¢XC in February this year in Hong Kong, which was the warmest February in 125 years, reflecting a long-term warming trend in Hong Kong, and extreme weather conditions (such as strong winds, heavy rains, high temperature and low temperature) would be more frequent. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the work achievement of the Inter-departmental Working Group on Climate Change (IWGCC) led by the Environmental Protection Department since its establishment; of the latest work progress of the Consultancy Study on Climate Change which was steered by IWGCC and commenced work in 2008; and
(b) whether it will, in response to the aforesaid circumstances, review afresh the various greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures which are being implemented and adopt more ambitious emission reduction measures (including setting a target for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a target proportion of the electricity to be generated from renewable energy); if it will not, of the reasons for that?
Reply:
President,
(a) The Administration established an Inter-departmental Working Group on Climate Change (the Working Group) under the lead of Environmental Protection Department to strengthen co-ordination of government efforts in tackling climate change. It comprises representatives from five bureaux and 16 departments. The Working Group is steering the consultancy study being carried out on climate change in Hong Kong. It had provided comments and suggestions on various tasks of the study, including the greenhouse gas emission inventory compilation methodologies and on vulnerability assessment. In addition, the Working Group reviewed tasks undertaken by individual departments in combating climate change; and exchanged information on the latest development of the issue at international discussions. It has also coordinated departments' participation in climate change efforts of international organisations, such as Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, so as to learn overseas experience and to share outcome of our work; as well as promulgation of information related to climate change.
In March 2008, the Environmental Protection Department appointed ERM-Hong Kong, Ltd. to conduct "A Study of Climate Change in Hong Kong". The consultancy study would review and update the local inventories of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals; project the future trends in GHG emissions under different scenarios; characterise the impacts of climate change in Hong Kong; and evaluate and recommend additional strategies and measures to further reduce GHG emissions as well as to adapt to climate change. In conducting the study, the consultants had carried out three stakeholder engagement workshops respectively in July to December 2008 to collect views on adaptation to and mitigating climate change. Ideas and comments will also be sought on the preliminary findings and recommendations in the course of study later this year. The whole consultancy study is expected to complete at the end of the year.
(b) The Government attaches great importance to the need to take effective actions to cope with the impact of climate change and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While Hong Kong is not obliged under the Kyoto Protocol to set any greenhouse gas emission reduction targets, we are committed to the course. We pledged along with other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies in 2007 to reduce our energy intensity of at least 25% by 2030 (with 2005 as the base year).
In his latest 2008/09 Policy Address, the Chief Executive set out the policy objective of promoting a low carbon economy based on low energy consumption and low pollution to meet the challenge of climate change. A string of initiatives are being implemented, including :
- signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Energy Administration on the continuous supply of nuclear electricity and natural gas to Hong Kong in the next two decades;
- introducing legislative proposal on mandatory implementation of the Building Energy Codes in 2009;
- engaging the business sector to conduct carbon audit for over 100 buildings in this year;
- reserving $450 million under the Environment and Conservation Fund to subsidise building owners to conduct energy-cum-carbon audits and energy efficiency improvement projects in buildings;
- promoting environmental protection and energy conservation in government buildings to further encourage energy conservation, including setting targets in various environmental aspects for new government buildings;
- reviewing the scope of application of the Building (Energy Efficiency) Regulation and the overall thermal transfer value standard of buildings, with a view to improving the energy performance of buildings;
- preparing amendments to the Energy Efficiency (Labelling of Products) Ordinance for the second phase of the Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme;
- planning to implement a district cooling system in the Kai Tak Development;
- studying the need to restrict the sale of incandescent light bulbs; and
- assessing the problem of energy wastage of external lighting and studying the feasibility of tackling the problem through legislation etc.
Upon completion of the aforementioned consultancy study on climate change, the Government will consider the different recommendations made in the study report on enhancing our efforts to adapt to and mitigate climate change.
As regards the use of renewable energy, the new Scheme of Control Agreements of the two power companies have put in place provisions to encourage the power companies to adopt more usage of renewable energy and to invest in renewable energy facilities. The power companies have also formulated unified arrangements for connection to electricity grids so as to provide backup power to Hong Kong customers who have installed grid-connected renewable energy power systems. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department has also published various information pamphlets and guidance notes to promote the use of renewable energy.
Ends/Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:30
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