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)

The Pan-PRD

Serious cross-border air pollution

Causes of the poor air quality

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

Shajiao Power Station

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

Evidence to show the deterioration of air quality in the

PRD region annual averaged of no. of air pollutants

2001 2002 2003

2004 20052006

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.

Evidence to show the deterioration of air quality

in the PRD regionHong Kong concentrations of particulates3 were high

e.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.

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).

Evidence to show the deterioration of air quality

in the PRD regionGuangdong 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

Why are there cross-border air pollution?

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.

the “urban land-sea breeze circulation” effect

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

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

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:

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

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

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

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

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. 

The End!!Thank you!