PRESS RELEASE
Hong Kong, 25 November 2020 – Independent public policy think tank, Civic Exchange welcomes the commitment made in the Chief Executive’s Policy Address to update the HKSAR’s Climate Action Plan by mid-2021 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2050.
The independent think tank also appreciated the following commitments in Mrs. Carrie Lam’s address:
- To explore different types of zero-carbon energy and decarbonisation technology.
- To enhance the energy efficiency of both new and existing buildings.
- To promote zero-carbon vehicles and green transportation. (To this we would add shifting people from private cars to public transport).
- To build large-scale waste-to-energy facilities.
- To enlist support for low-carbon lifestyles and economic transformation.
- To develop green finance for Hong Kong
The Chief Executive invited all sectors to work together to promote low-carbon transformation in Hong Kong, which is something that Civic Exchange has promoted broadly under its Hong Kong 2050 is now.org initiative.
We hope this work can move ahead rapidly with the recommendations, which were also emphasised in the Council for Sustainable Development Public Engagement on decarbonisation. Similar recommendations were also contained in the HK 2050 is Now report published in June, Pathways to Net Zero Emissions by 2050.
Acting sooner will enable a more gradual and progressive transition without undue costs.
Hong Kong must commit to advancing to net zero emission by 2050 as part of the global effort to limit global average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, significantly raising the ambition from the Paris Agreement’s goal to collectively limit global warming to 2°C by 2100.
Energy, Transport and the Built Environment are the largest contributors to Hong Kong’s direct GHG emissions and they should be key target sectors to decarbonize.
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Media Enquiries
Please contact Mr Lawrence Iu, Programme Manager of Civic Exchange and Hong Kong 2050 is Now, at [email protected].
