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The Government announced today (May 29) that the Central People's Government had extended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol to Hong Kong after consulting the HKSAR Government in accordance with Basic Law Article 153.

"The UNFCCC is applicable to Hong Kong with effect from May 5, 2003 while the Kyoto Protocol will be applicable to Hong Kong as and when it comes into operation," a spokesman for the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau said.

"The application of UNFCCC and its Kyoto Protocol to HKSAR renews our firm commitment to make our share of contribution to mitigate the global warming problem," said the spokesman.

The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Hong Kong has been reduced from the historical height of 22 per cent above 1990 level in 1993 to around the 1990 level in recent years. Hong Kong is only a small emitter of GHG on the global scale, contributing to only 0.18 per cent of the global emissions in 2000. Hong Kong's GHG emission per capita is much lower than the levels of other high-income economies.

"The achievement is the fruit of our programmes on the use of cleaner fuels for transport and power generation, energy efficiency and afforestation. We will nevertheless do all we can to further reduce GHG emissions as far as possible. We will step up our ongoing efforts, in particular, in promoting renewable energy and cleaner fuels for power generation and transport," the spokesman added.

The UNFCCC, adopted in 1992 and its Kyoto Protocol, adopted in 1997, seek to reduce global emissions of GHG. Up to date, the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol have been ratified by 188 and 109 countries respectively. The Kyoto Protocol has not yet come into operation.

End/Thursday, May 29, 2003

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