From the Editor |
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| December 1999 Welcome 2000 with Cleanliness Year 2000 is turning out to be an elegant lady who hates pollution. In the last Policy Address of the 20th century, Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa made a dramatic shift from economic issues, the usual focus of such addresses, to environmental ones. In 10 years’ time, the government plans to spend $30 billion to improve Hong Kong’s environment. Improving air quality is one of the hot issues. It is greatly affected by the transportation system. In Hong Kong, where the average road utilization rate is about four to five times higher than that in Japan or the United Kingdom, vehicle congestion reaches extreme proportions. Existing main roads have to be expanded. The widening of a section of Tolo Highway from Ma Liu Shui Interchange to Island House Interchange is a typical example. While the Third Comprehensive Transport Study conducted by the Transport Department found that top priority should be given to the development of railway transportation, the Highways Department still has 28 projects under construction and about 63 projects under planning. Ideal objectives cannot be capitalized without coordination among the government departments. The departments have to think twice whether the roads should be given way to the railways, which is more environmentally friendly. Sustainable development, a concept that the chief executive has been promoting as of late, in fact originated two centuries ago. In 1798, Thomas Malthus, the English political economist, said that the human population would grow indefinitely if left unchecked. He concluded that unless family size was regulated, the misery of famine would become a global scourge and eventually would kill off man. Fortunately, his prophecy did not come true, as the advancement of farming methods helped to provide enough food to feed us. Most Hong Kong people take water and food for granted. In fact they can be potential triggers of a major regional conflict. According to the World Bank, wars of the next century will be fought over water. Concerning the water supply, instead of a water shortage, Hong Kong people may be more worried about contamination of the water supply in the mainland. Our compatriots, however, are becoming more and more aware of environmental protection. While 600,000 styrofoam food containers in Hong Kong end up in the landfills each day, the mainland has banned the styrofoam lunch box. Hong Kong, supposed to be leading the development of China, shamefully lags behind in environmental protection. The year 2000 is at our doorstep, and a new era is being kicked off. Embracing her with a pleasant environment maybe the most effective way to please her.
Teny Siu |
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