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The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) will organise a public consultation forum on October 10 (Saturday) to solicit public views on the Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) Review.
On July 23, the Government launched a four-month public consultation on the proposed new AQOs and the emission control measures required for their achievement. The consultation will last until the end of November this year. The coming public consultation forum aims at briefing members of the public on details of the proposals and listening to their views.
A spokesman for EPD said the World Health Organisation (WHO) released a new set of Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) in October 2006. The Government proposes to update our AQOs with reference to the WHO AQGs to enhance the protection of public health and further improve air quality.
"In setting the new AQOs, the underlying principle is to protect public health. Achieving the WHO Air Quality Guidelines will be taken as a long-term goal and we will adopt targets in stages to update the AQOs. The proposed new AQOs have made reference to the WHO's Air Quality Guidelines and approaches adopted by advanced countries and economies," he said.
To help achieve the proposed new AQOs, the Government recommends 19 emission control measures in four categories. The first category is emission capping and control measures, such as increasing the ratio of natural gas in local electricity generation to 50% and early retirement of aged and heavily polluting vehicles and buses. The second category comprises transport management measures such as the establishment of low emission zones and bus route rationalisation. The third category relates to infrastructure development and planning, e.g. expanding the rail network. The last one concerns energy efficiency enhancement measures such as the mandatory implementation of Building Energy Codes.
"Implementing the proposed measures will help improve public health and quality of life. However, they may have different degrees of impact on the general public. For example, our way of living may need to be adjusted and electricity tariffs and bus fares may increase. We urge members of the public to actively take part in the discussion and offer their views to help the Government further improve the proposals so that a new standard for air quality can be set in Hong Kong and emission measures implemented as soon as possible," he added.
The forum will be held from 9am to 12.30pm at Exhibition Hall, 4/F, Hong Kong Productivity Council Building, 78 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong. Registration details can be obtained from the EPD's website (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/eindex.html). For enquiries, please call 2788 5948.
Ends/Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Issued at HKT 14:31
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