Green groups want bolder plans to clear China's air
Date: 01-May-02
Country: CHINA
Author: Tan Ee Lyn
"If we do not have emission caps that are binding on both sides, we will end up with nothing," said Mei Ng of Friends of the Earth, which wants the governments to commit to more renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
Hong Kong and Guangdong, China's fastest growing province, unveiled aggressive targets on Monday to cut growing air pollution by 2010.
But they gave few concrete details on what action they will take, or when. Some critics questioned whether the governments have the political will to take on entrenched business interests.
Vast areas of southern China are now shrouded in smog many days of the year after decades of booming economic growth, choking cities and spooking foreign investors. Hong Kong's famous Victoria Harbour and skyline is often obscured by haze and respiratory complaints are common.
In a joint study, the governments blamed the pollution on the ever-rising numbers of cars, power stations and factories.
It recommended Hong Kong and Guangdong switch to less-polluting fuels for power generation, while Guangdong should study the use of alternative energy sources such as hydroelectricity, wind, solar and geothermal.
It also said Guangdong should tighten the quality of gasoline and diesel fuel and vehicle inspections.
Both governments agreed to cut emissions of sulphur dioxide by 40 percent from current levels by 2010, nitrogen oxides by 20 percent, respirable suspended particulates by 55 percent and volatile organic compounds by 55 percent.
Without additional control measures, emissions of those pollutants will grow by 36 to 75 percent in the region by 2015, the study said.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH
But the agreed limits are too vague and would not work unless governments on both sides enforced them, said Alex Chung, research coordinator for Friends of the Earth.
"We want the government to actively order various industries to set strict emission limits, so there would be better monitoring and control," Chung said.
"What we want to see is how good our air quality will be and what will be permissible by 2010, but not how much (each pollutant) will be reduced by," Ng added.
"A change of energy mix (by just swapping) fossil fuel is simply not enough. It simply is not a genuine solution to our air pollution problem."
Annie Ho, spokeswoman for green group Clear The Air, said governments on both sides of the border needed to pass tougher laws punishing polluters.
Up to 40 million people live in the Pearl River Delta, including about seven million in Hong Kong, the former British colony which returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
The Asian Development Bank warned in 2000 that worsening air pollution in Hong Kong posed health risks and hampered the territory's efforts to become a regional high-tech hub able to attract foreign talent.
In Hong Kong, visibility is sometimes as low as two km (1.3 miles) and authorities regularly issue advisories for those with health problems to stay indoors.
In 1999, US$462 million was spent in Hong Kong on treatment of respiratory ailments, most of which were aggravated by air pollution, according to medical sources.
Hong Kong fell to a distant sixth place - its lowest in recent years - in a recent business survey on the cities offering the best quality of life in Asia, while rival Singapore topped the list for the second year running.
Respondents to the survey, by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, criticised the territory for its pollution problems and expensive housing.