***********************************************************
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Transport and Housing, Ms Eva Cheng, at the World's Greenest Airport Pledging Ceremony today (May 8):
Marvin, Stanely, guests,
I am extremely pleased and honoured to partner with our Aviation Inc in making this pledge.
This ceremony is not a gesture, not a kind of packaging. Certainly not a PR ploy. It is very serious, almost as serious as the Holy Matrimony.
The success of this pledge hinges on policies and concrete measures to be adopted by the aviation community here on the airport island. Yes, everyone here has to devote more in terms of time, money and effort in order to uphold the pledge.
Environmental protection is not a choice. It is something we must do. We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to Hong Kong, we owe it to our future generations. We are committing ourselves to make HKIA the greenest airport in the world. I am most encouraged by undertakings everyone is making for the next three years. As an industry, you are the first in the world to voluntarily pledge on carbon emission reduction. As an airport, we are the first in the world to take a bold step to make such a pledge.
The airport community and the Airport Authority should be congratulated on their efforts in promoting the use of electrical vehicles, renewable resources and environment-friendly facilities. However, this is only the first step in the right direction.
As we move forward on the planning for our airport expansion into a three runway system, the Airport Authority must aim even higher. Looking ahead, in order to make this the greenest airport, the Authority and its business partners should lead the world eventually in:
- Electrification of all its equipment and vehicles;
- Introduction of the most advanced technologies on the fronts of energy savings and recycling of resources; and
- Minimising the impact of our Airport expansion works on the environment throughout the design, implementation and operational stages; adopting all practicable mitigation measures.
If we work together, put in our best effort, our airport can aspire to reach that fine balance that sustainable development requires. Having given you the go-ahead to begin the Environmental Impact Assessment, associated design and financing studies, I think we have completed within this term of Government one of the most important tasks that will be instrumental to Hong Kong growing into an even more vibrant aviation and logistics centre serving the world.
Ends/Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:51
NNNN
