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We need clean air
Secretary for Environment, Transport and Works Sarah Liao Sau Tung recently proposed an emissions trading scheme to combat the local air pollution problem. Her idea is good news to Hong Kong. But it is not easy to be put forward.
According to the South China Morning Post, the scheme aims to set limits on levels of pollution, like imposing limits on the amount of sulphur dioxide emitted by a factory or a power plant. If a factory can produce less pollution than the limit requirement, it can store the excess capacity for future uses or sell it to factories which cannot meet the requirement. Mainland cities such as Shanghai have started the scheme. It is believed that Hong Kong will start the scheme at a local level and later join the mainland one.
Undoubtedly, the scheme is beneficial to our air quality. On 10 September, the Air Pollution Index at Tung Chung reached 185, one of the highest readings ever in Hong Kong. In general, the Air Pollution Index for roadside stations is often above 100. In fact, when the Air Pollution Index reaches 100, the maximum level of pollutants are present. So one can imagine that we are often living in a polluted place.
Poor air quality adversely affects Hong Kong. It poses threats to people’s health. Many diseases like asthma, eye irritation and other respiratory problems are worsened by air pollution. Furthermore, a number of foreign companies have refused to hold conferences or set up headquarters in Hong Kong because of the reports of Hong Kong’s air quality. The international image of Hong Kong is badly “polluted” by these air pollutants.
More importantly, being the Pearl of the Orient, Hong Kong is a popular tourist spot. The government has invested lots of resources to boost the local tourist industry. Despite the increase in the numbers of tourists from the mainland China, tourists are not satisfied with the local air quality. Therefore, it is vital to clean our air.
However, the government has actually done something to deal with the air pollution problem. As vehicle emissions are one of the main sources of air pollution, measures have been introduced to control the amount of vehicle exhaust. For instance, there were introductions of ultra low sulphur diesel in 2000, programmes of switching taxis and mini-buses from diesel to liquefied petroleum gas, and installation of catalytic converters on heavy vehicles. These measures should have improved the local air quality. But the fact is that they help very little. So it is clear that the air pollutants are not local, but transboundary. And the pollutants created by the two power plants cannot be ignored.
The present proposal of cross-border emissions trading can help improve the local air quality if it is enforced successfully. But the problem is that the Hong Kong government has to remove political barriers between Hong Kong and the mainland cities first, so that the trading is viable. Moreover, it is an ordeal for the government to encourage local factories and the two power plants to join the programme because they are reluctant to invest a large amount of money to tackle air pollution.
This is really a huge and sophisticated scheme because it involves cross-border issue. More time is needed for planning and consultation. The government now should deal with a smaller-scale but important scheme, which is combating indoor air pollution problem. In fact, people spend more time indoor and the indoor air quality is not better than outdoor one. Up till now, a no-smoking policy on all premises including pubs, bars and restaurants is still absent because of opposition from the catering industry. Even such a small-scale programme cannot be implemented smoothly, so how is the government going to persuade the local factories and power plants to participate in the emissions trading scheme?
It is now autumn. North monsoon winds are beginning to blow towards the region. Together with the local high pressure, Hong Kong will continue to be in a haze unless effective measures are enforced strictly.
Editor-in-Chief
