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The following is issued on behalf of the Council for Sustainable Development :
The Council for Sustainable Development (SDC) will soon submit to the Government a report on the engagement process on air quality with recommendations on the way forward.
：The recommendations to be put forward to the Government will not only cover the three issues put forward for public engagement - actions to be taken on ．high air pollution・ days, road pricing and demand side management - but also specific recommendations to address other air quality issues,； SDC Chairman, Dr Edgar Cheng, said after today・s (January 28) SDC meeting at which the draft engagement report was deliberated.
：We have constructive discussions at the SDC meeting today. The draft council report will be further refined to take into account members・ comments before submission to the Government next month,； he said.
To ensure the transparency of the process and to provide further reference to the Government to assist the latter・s deliberations, the SDC will also submit, in tandem with the council report, the analysis report on the public views prepared by the independent reporting agency -the University of Hong Kong・s Social Sciences Research Centre.
Both reports will be made available on the SDC・s website after they have been submitted to the Government.
The SDC launched the engagement process on air quality in June, 2007, inviting the community to give their views on three issues in particular:
(a) appropriate actions on high air pollution days;
(b) energy saving or demand side management; and
(c) congestion charging mechanisms such as electronic road pricing.
The engagement process ended in October, 2007. On December 17, 2007, the SDC organised an Air Summit to wrap up the process and consolidate the views gathered.
At today・s meeting, the SDC also considered the programmes and initiatives undertaken by the SDC・s Education and Publicity Sub-committee. Among other initiatives, the SDC noted that the sub-committee was considering the 32 submissions received during the fifth round of Sustainable Development Fund applications, with an aim of announcing the results as soon as possible.
The sub-committee also conducted an annual review of the operation of the Sustainable Development Fund and pursuant to this review, put in place a mechanism to handle projects with repeated delays as well as a revised set of pricing standards for future applications for the Fund.
The Sustainable Development Fund was set up in 2003 to support community initiatives for promoting the concept of sustainable development. Practical projects and educational programmes that help raise public awareness of the principles of sustainable development and encourage sustainable practices are encouraged to apply to the fund. Applications from non-government and community organisations as well as individuals are welcome.
A total of 18 projects have been approved since the establishment of the fund, involving total grants of $14.5 million. Completed projects include a musical drama and an interactive educational drama to promote sustainable development to the public and students; Reporting Sustainability in Hong Kong by CUPEM of the University of Hong Kong; three community projects by Aberdeen Kai-fong Welfare Association, The Conservancy Association and Life Workshop respectively.
The agenda and discussion papers for today's meeting, will be posted on the website www.susdev.gov.hk. The digest of discussion at the meeting will be posted shortly afterwards.
Ends/Monday, January 28, 2008
Issued at HKT 19:41
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