The government's Action Blue Sky campaign is, finally, a start in the right direction, though it should have been launched 10 years ago. The community is now fully aware of our pollution problems yet, to date, our administration has failed to present us with any concrete initiatives or substantial changes.
The launch of Action Blue Sky would have been a great platform for such plans, but instead we were told the government wants to start consulting the public to make sure everyone agrees with whatever is done. This is sad. The indirect costs to our economy from air pollution are projected to be more than HK$20 billion and over 1,500 premature deaths a year, Is this not enough to take quick, concise action?
The US Environmental Protection Agency recently completed a study showing that every dollar invested in improving the environment is worth 15 times the amount in benefits to society. Please take note of this, Donald Tsang Yam-kuen. It is great ammunition for your efforts.
The government has the responsibility to protect the health of Hong Kong's residents. This does not mean spending more time consulting on this issue, as the environmental minister seems to want to do. We expect leadership and decisions.
Diesel is one of the main culprits of our pollution problems, and is a known carcinogen. Yet 75 per cent of all vehicle miles are driven by pre-Euro 3 diesel vehicles. Where are the plans to phase out old diesel vehicles and curtail the import of any new vehicle with less than Euro 3 standards? Why are our bus fleets given new licences to pollute without any mandated improvements on emissions? What about plans for marine emissions, innovative energy-efficient codes for buildings and tunnel-pricing policies that optimise traffic flow. Why is the government not converting its own vehicle fleet to less polluting fuels?
You can win big with Action Blue Sky, Mr Tsang, but only if you take some substantial steps, and quickly.
