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Following is the opening remarks (English portion) by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, at the ceremony to mark the first anniversary of ¡§Green Hong Kong ¡V Carbon Audit¡¨ today (July 3):
For the English speaking guests present here today, I will give the gist of what I have mentioned. Today, we are witnessing a milestone in the Green Audit Campaign that we launched last year. It all originated from the pledge we made in the Chief Executive¡¦s Policy Address in 2007 whereby we promised we would launch a campaign through carbon audit to help Hong Kong tackle climate change. Twelve months since we launched the scheme, we have been able to recruit three times more than last year, the number of companies joining this campaign. Those companies joining this campaign include people from all walks of life and different businesses, from universities to green groups, from professional bodies to property managers. This varied group of representatives of leading companies and corporations in Hong Kong has joined our carbon audit. In the US, they have the Fortune 500 and these are in fact the Green 100 reputable firms and organisations in Hong Kong. I believe that with the leadership demonstrated by the people present today here and by government setting the example, volunteering our buildings to do carbon audit, and also with the $450 million project we launched for subsidising local carbon audit, Hong Kong will step into a new chapter whereby we will be more able or better equipped to become a much greener city. So in this regard, I take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support and together we can make Hong Kong much greener. Thank you.
Ends/Friday, July 3, 2009
Issued at HKT 17:37
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