There is finally a really good role for the many Hong Kong people serving on mainland political bodies that will also serve Hong Kong directly. They can speak on the importance of nuclear safety for all.
The Hong Kong government's climate change strategy and action agenda released last month includes a proposal to change the city's fuel mix to increase nuclear power from the current 23 per cent to 50 per cent by 2020. This will mean buying a lot more nuclear power from Guangdong, which has a major nuclear expansion plan over the next decade.
In his policy address earlier this month, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen re-emphasised the phasing-out of existing coal-fired power generation units in Hong Kong as a core part of the government's attempt to reduce carbon intensity by between 50 per cent and 60 per cent in 10 years compared with the 2005 level.
China is investing heavily in renewable power, such as hydro, solar and wind, as well as nuclear, because Beijing recognises burning ever more coal to feed its enormous energy appetite has a very major impact on contributing to global warming. Moreover, with its rising demand for energy, even China's substantial coal deposits will run out in a few decades. Thus, investing in other forms of power generation is critical to China's future. Cracking this nut provides the basis for continuous development.
The central government sees a place for nuclear power within China's total energy mix. But nuclear and renewable power are more expensive than coal. So, many state-of-the-art reactors are being planned and built mainly along the better-developed and more affluent coastal areas like Guangdong, which are able to pay more for energy than poorer regions.
Some green groups oppose the Hong Kong government's proposal to import more nuclear power from across the border. They point out the danger of radiation leakage and also the difficulty of handling nuclear waste. Understandably, they challenge the government to look at renewable options, as well as work a lot harder on energy efficiency, especially with regard to buildings.