Cross-boundary air pollution

1. Cross-boundary air pollution A case of PRD Cheung Oi Yi, Tiffany (5) Fu Ka Wing, Fanny (8) Koon Sau Yu, Suki (9) Lam Yan Ki, Adrienne (12) Tsoi Ni Ni, Winnie (21)

2. The Pan-PRD

3. Serious cross-border air pollution

4. Causes of the poor air quality Shajiao Power Station • Electricity generation • e.g. In 2003, the Shajiao Power Station in Dongguan(沙角電廠)(4,000 MW) emitted 90,000 tonnes of SO2, roughly a sixth of all SO2 emissions for the province • Industry

5. Causes of the poor air quality • Road transport • major cause of street-level air pollution • increased ownership of private and commercial vehicles. • about one-fourth of the vehicles in HK use diesel fuel that is responsible for 96 per cent of RSP and 88 per cent of NOx vehicular emissions. • canyon effect • Navigation and civil aviation • ocean-going vessels such as ferries and small private boats • Ships use sulphur-heavy fuel (4.5 per cent) • impact on air quality

6. Evidence to show the deterioration of air quality in the PRD region 2003 2001 2002 2006 2004 2005 annual averaged of no. of air pollutants

7. Evidence to show the deterioration of air quality in the PRD region Frequency of visibility impairment in Hong Kong and selected cities in province Guangdong from 1991 to 2002.

8. Evidence to show the deterioration of air quality in the PRD region Hong Kong concentrations of particulates3 were highe.g. levels of fine particulates and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) regularly exceeded Hong Kong’s Air Quality Objectives throughout the 1999 air pollution can be found in rural areas in North New Territories and Yuen Long average number of air pollution exceedance days recorded in Guangdong and Hong Kong in 2006 was nearly 34% of the total number of days in the year, representing an increase of 2.19% compared with that of the year before.

9. Evidence to show the deterioration of air quality in the PRD region The scenes of Hong Kong with (right image) and without smog (left image).

10. Evidence to show the deterioration of air quality in the PRD region Guangdong • HK manufacturing plants moved across the border ->worsened air quality • Visibility in Shenzhen was 9 times worse in the 2000 than in 1991. • The number of smoggy days reached 75 in 2006 across the province, up 20% from 63 days recorded in 2005 • Guangzhou were between 2-4 times greater than the mainland national air quality standards

12. Why are there cross-border air pollution? the “urban land-sea breeze circulation” effect • the “urban land-sea breeze circulation” effect • a closed cycle that develops of vertical and lateral movement over the city • hills and mountain ranges separating the PRD from its immediate Mainland neighbors localize the region’s pollution. • the pollution is trapped until a stronger off-shore breeze blows the pollution to HK • the air quality in HK is poorer in winter with offshore winds blowing from the Mainland to the sea.

13. Adverse socio-economic impacts Social • health problem • Smog can irritate people’s eyes, nose and throat • worsen existing heart and respiratory problems such as asthma • researchers have equated breathing Hong Kong air to smoking at least eight cigarettes a day in terms of lost life expectancy • Reduce visibility

14. Adverse socio-economic impacts Economic • Reduce reputation as : • an international travel destination • a fitting host for major events, or • a favored place of business for overseas companies • Reduce competitiveness • Research results reveal that visitors are conscious of air quality when selecting a destination

15. Possible solutions-cooperationPearl River Delta Air Quality Management Plan • The Joint Government 2010 Targets in 2002 • several agreed actions to improve air quality. • to reduce four key emissions by specific percentages from their 1997 levels by 2010. These were:

16. Possible solutions-cooperationPearl River Delta Air Quality Management Plan • Building of a liquefied natural gas power generating plant in Guangdong • decrease the reliance of PRD on polluting fuels • desulphurization device will be installed in more power plants

17. Possible solutions-cooperationPearl River Delta Air Quality Management Plan The Guangdong Province will fight for launching the National III (equivalent to the Euro III) automobile emission standard. For Hong Kong, starting from 2007 the Euro IV automobile emission standard will be launched

18. Possible solutions-cooperationRegional Air Quality Monitoring Network • Regional Air Quality Index (RAQI) has been established • to represent the air pollution level of the PRD • to evaluate the effectiveness of air pollution control measures • to provide the public with the information on the regional air quality every six months • 16 monitoring stations have been set up

20. Possible solutions-cooperationScheme for Trading Pollution Quotas • Emissions Trading Pilot Scheme for thermal power plants in the PRD in 2007 • by making use of market forces to provide greater flexibility for emission sources to meet the emission reduction requirements in a cost effective manner. • aims : - to reduce the emission of air pollutants -decrease bureaucratic environmental control • An Emissions Trading Management Panel is set up by both the governments to assist the management of the emissions trading among the power plants in the PRD

21. The importance of the regional cooperation Improving air quality requires concerted efforts by the governments, enterprises and the community in the two places. the emission reduction measures implemented in Guangdong and Hong Kong should improve the air quality of both places in the long run. 

22. The End!!Thank you!