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Following is the speech delivered by the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, at the opening ceremony of InnoAsia 2011 at the Hong Kong Science Park this morning (November 15):
Nick (Mr Nicholas Brooke), Tim (Professor Timothy Tong), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
I am delighted to join you for the opening ceremony of InnoAsia 2011.
A warm welcome to you all.
For the past seven years, InnoAsia has been the flagship event of the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation. This year is particularly significant because it also marks the 10th anniversary of the Corporation.
We are meeting in the Charles K Kao Auditorium, named after the winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physics. Given the exterior design of this venue, it has also earned a nickname: the Golden Egg.
I mention this because it reminds me of a fable that I believe is relevant to the theme of this year's InnoAsia conference. The fable is about the goose that laid the golden egg. I am sure that you are familiar with the story. It goes like this, in case you need reminding: A couple owned a special goose that laid one golden egg every day. Everyone was happy with this arrangement and the couple lived comfortably. But they became greedy and decided to kill the goose and get all the golden eggs at one time to become rich. Of course, there were no golden eggs inside the goose and the couple lost their source of wealth. End of story.
If we think of Mother Nature as the goose and our natural resources as the golden egg, I am sure that you will see where I am going with this. Our world possesses many wonderful and delicate treasures that sustain life and support economic growth. But, if we should become overly demanding of these natural treasures - too greedy so to speak - we can upset the balance of nature and risk diminishing the resources that we depend on.
We need to better understand, manage and balance the relationship between the demand and supply of our natural resources, particularly our energy resources.
As the world population passes 7 billion and global warming continues to become increasingly evident, the theme of this year's InnoAsia, "Energy Efficiency: Sustainable Future", is apt. It addresses the biggest long-term challenge we are likely to face. That challenge is to keep the balance of nature in check while maintaining a high-quality of life for a growing number of people.
Energy efficiency is a major piece of this sustainability puzzle.
First, allow me to give you a few statistics from the Hong Kong Observatory that highlight a worrying trend over the past 60 years. According to our Observatory, Hong Kong's annual mean temperature has risen 0.12 degrees Celsius every decade for the past century; on average we experience 2.3 fewer cold days per decade, and average rainfall has increased by 51 millimetres per decade.
What's more, the Observatory forecasts that the rising temperature trend in Hong Kong is likely to continue.
As a responsible member of the international community, Hong Kong has joined global efforts to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In Hong Kong, per capita greenhouse gas emissions stand at about 6 tonnes a year, which is below the global average of more than 7 tonnes per year per person.
I believe we can, and we will, reduce our carbon footprint.
We are pursuing a low-carbon and sustainable model of development as an ongoing process. We are also integrating low-carbon strategies with economic development.
Last December we completed a public consultation on "Hong Kong's Climate Change Strategy and Action Agenda". This marked an important milestone in charting Hong Kong's development as a low-carbon city.
We have set for ourselves a target of reducing our carbon intensity by between 50 to 60 per cent by 2020, using 2005 as the base level. This matches well with the voluntary target pledged by the Central Government in Beijing in 2009 to reduce its carbon intensity by between 40 to 45 per cent by 2020.
Assuming that we were to reach our target, Hong Kong's greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by up to one-third within a decade.
Electricity generation accounts for about two-thirds of our total greenhouse gas emissions.
Since 2005, all new government buildings are required to comply with Building Energy Codes. This also applies to major retrofitting and renovation projects in public buildings. So far, we have implemented more than 465 energy efficiency upgrading projects in existing government facilities. In my Budget last year, I allocated an additional $130 million to carry out works to enhance energy efficiency in government buildings and public facilities.
Last November, we enacted the Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance. This mandates compliance with the Buildings Energy Codes of major electrical installations for new buildings and building retrofitting. All commercial buildings are required to conduct an energy audit once every 10 years. The legislation will come into full operation next September.
To encourage the public to join us in promoting green buildings, we launched the Buildings Energy Efficiency Funding Schemes two years ago. To kick-start this initiative, we have allocated $450 million under the Environment and Conservation Fund. The funding schemes provide subsidies on a matching basis to building owners to conduct energy-cum-carbon audits and energy efficiency projects.
At the household level, the Government introduced a Mandatory Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme two years ago. This helps consumers make informed choices when buying energy-efficient electrical products. It also encourages suppliers to make available more such products that meet consumer demand.
Currently five types of products are covered under the scheme, which together account for about 70 per cent of the annual electricity consumption in the residential sector.
Regional co-operation is also a crucial element in tackling environmental issues. We must collaborate with our neighbours in a collective fight against climate change. This concept underpins our recent co-operation with the Guangdong and Macau governments in formulating a Regional Co-operation Plan on Building a Quality Living Area. Our common mission is to promote a clean and green Pearl River Delta region. The success of this mission depends on providing a cluster of desirable and liveable cities that attract and retain talent and provide the best possible environment for families and communities.
Ladies and gentlemen, our blueprint in promoting energy efficiency is not complete without the key element of innovation and technology. Innovation and technology provides new tools and devices to improve energy efficiency. It opens new ways for us to manage our energy consumption more effectively and help to offset global warming. It offers new solutions to unleash the economic potential of a low-carbon lifestyle based on green products and services.
The Government has identified six emerging industries where Hong Kong has a distinct advantage in our region. These include innovation and technology and environmental industries. Given our world-class facilities, including the Hong Kong Science Park, our well-educated and committed workforce and our proximity to Mainland China, we see huge potential for these industries to grow and prosper.
The Hong Kong Government aims to provide a favourable environment for innovation and technology and green industries to achieve their full potential. This includes creating synergy between various stakeholders including the Government, industry and academia and research to nurture the development of these sectors in Hong Kong.
We have adopted a four-pronged strategy.
First, providing world-class technological infrastructure to support technology development.
Second, earmarking funding for applied research and development (R&D).
Third, promoting technological collaboration with the Mainland and overseas.
The fourth area is to reinforce a culture of innovation and technology in our community.
We have already begun developing Phase 3 of the Hong Kong Science Park. This will increase the Park's size by 47 per cent, accommodate 150 additional companies and create some 4 000 new jobs in R&D.
We are providing incentives to technology companies to encourage private sector investment in technology through the Cash Rebate Scheme.
We are also reviewing the Small Entrepreneur Research Assistance Programme to provide better support to small and medium-sized enterprises to conduct R&D.
And we are setting aside additional funding to support the existing 12 Partner State Key Laboratories in Hong Kong. This will help strengthen our R&D base and enhance collaboration with the Mainland.
We have already established close technology co-operation frameworks with the Mainland at the central, provincial and municipal levels.
The National 12th Five-Year Plan, which was adopted by the Central Government earlier this year, is encouraging for Hong Kong. Among other things, it supports the fostering of our emerging sectors, including innovation and technology and green industries.
We shall implement various new initiatives to dovetail with the Plan's green-tech initiatives.
These include:
(a) Hong Kong's participation in national-level science and technology programmes;
(b) Nominating Hong Kong experts to be included in the National Science and Technology Programmes Expert Database;
(c) Fostering collaboration with top-notch laboratories in the Mainland through the Partner State Key Laboratories initiative; and
(d) Consolidating our technology resources and strengths in the strategic emerging industries identified under the 12th Five-Year Plan, including environmental protection, bio-industry, new energy and new materials.
We shall also follow up with the State Ministry of Science and Technology on strategies announced by Vice-Premier Mr Li Keqiang during his visit to Hong Kong in August. These measures include setting up a Hong Kong branch of the Chinese National Engineering Research Centre and a High-tech Industrialisation Base in Hong Kong.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have mentioned some of the ways that collaboration and innovation can help achieve a win-win situation for our growing population and our environment.
Businesses can benefit from cost-savings through greater energy efficiency and new technology. They should also strive to meet consumer demand for more environmentally friendly products and services, which in turn will enhance the credibility and popularity of their brands.
At the same time, we can reduce the strain on our natural resources and work together towards a more sustainable future. Enormous advances in technology and a new mindset towards environmental protection can help restore and maintain a healthy balance between the demand and supply of our precious energy resources.
InnoAsia brings together leaders in industry, business and academia to exchange ideas on how best to promote sustainable development through innovation and technology.
Together we can nurture the goose so that she keeps laying her golden eggs for the benefit of current and future generations.
Thank you very much, and I wish you all a successful InnoAsia.
Ends/Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:33
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