The following is an explanation from Professors Hak kan Lai, Chit-ming Wong and Anthony Hedley from Hong Kong University about why we should be comparing our daily air pollution levels, which are extremely high, to the ANNUAL, rather than short-term guidelines for each of the 4 pollutants studied by the World Health Organization. If...
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Understanding how the WHO Air Quality Guidelines apply to Hong Kong’s high daily levels of air pollution
CAN’s letter to the editor (SCMP): Various ways to retire old trucks
I refer to the report (“Higher fees eyed to drive polluting trucks off road”, March 11).
The Clean Air Network wholeheartedly agrees with the Environmental Protection Department’s proposal to penalise polluters through increased licence fees, and it is mobilising the public to encourage legislators to support such “sticks”.
However, it is obvious that the amount of...
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LegCo Diary: Early replacement of diesel commercial vehicles
On Wednesday, 10 March, CAN made a deputation stating its position on the Government’s proposed $540 million subsidy to encourage replacement of Euro II vehicles. Note that this scheme will follow on the heels of a subsidy for Euro I and pre-Euro vehicle owners, still in effect, which will expire on 31 March. The...
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The Govt’s new environmental initiatives: yet more cases of form over substance
Our analysis of each Government proposal is beneath the relevant copied and pasted portion of John Tsang’s address:
Pilot Green Transport Fund
91. To encourage the transport sector to test out green and low-carbon transport technology, I propose to set up a $300 million Pilot Green Transport Fund for application by the industry, initially by the...
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WHY the Government’s subsidy to encourage early replacement of HK’s dirtiest vehicles failed
Here is the gist of today’s SCMP article about the Government’s failed subsidy program to accelerate replacement of pre-Euro IV commercial vehicles.
In April 2007, the Government launched a HK$3.2 billion voluntary replacement scheme to encourage owners of the dirtiest commercial diesel vehicles (buses and trucks registered before 1995) to replace them as soon as...
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Watch Video: Clean Air 1-2-Go!
Check out this 2-minute clip which features highlights from Focus on Film’s 2009 youth filmmaking project with 200 Hong Kong secondary school students, themed around air pollution.
We launched the clip this Saturday on the video screen in front of Sogo, where it will continue to play all month, in addition to being screened on...
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Launch of youth filmmaking project, “Clean Air 1-2-Go!”, by Focus on Film & Clean Air Network a huge success today!
At 2:45, a large crowd of media, onlookers and kids gathered in front of the video screen at Sogo to witness the unveiling of a 2-minute video about air pollution. The video, which went live at 3 pm sharp, contained highlights from the footage created by 200 secondary school students from 13 schools throughout...
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Outcry against tighter US ozone stds by TX energy & chemical companies highlights structural obstacles of overhauling the environment in the US
While reading this coverage by the NY Times about how certain powerful Texan constituencies are objecting to Obama’s tightening of the US’ ozone standard, I was struck by a few lines in the article which point to the challenges of overhauling the US’ environmental regime. Are these obstacles insurmountable as long as pork barrel...
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“Lies, damned lies and Hong Kong pollution”
That’s the title of Jon Marsh’s “Spike” blog post today, an incendiary indictment of Donald Tsang’s “supine, do-nothing, head-up-its arse” handling of Hong Kong’s air pollution. We need MORE commentators like this in Hong Kong, who aren’t afraid to tell the unvarnished truth about our environment and its low ranking among the CE’s priorities. Thank...
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“Clean up the air one signature at a time”
Clean Air Network is pleased to announce the launch of its campaign, “Clean up the air one signature at a time”, TODAY.
The slogan refers to The Petition for Clean Air which continues to be the centerpiece of CAN’s public messaging. We chose to focalize attention on a petition for two reasons: first, signing a...
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