Hong Kong needs to clean up its polluted air, not just measure it
Asmita Aarshi says while the government has improved its tracking of the quality of our air, it has to do much more to clean it up
One of the most prolonged environmental issues haunting Hong Kong today is the worsening air pollution. With the introduction of the air quality health index, we now have more timely information about the state of the city's air, so people can take preventive measures to protect their health, if needed.
At least once a month, the city reaches the "serious" health risk category, when people are advised to reduce their time outdoors. The government is constantly being criticised for not doing enough to tackle the issue.
Professor Anthony Hedley, who died recently, was one of the first to point to the lack of an effective air management system for Hong Kong, and to criticise the government for not giving priority to the protection of public health. As the creator of the Hedley Environmental Index, which links the quality of Hong Kong's air to mortality and hospital visits, as well as economic costs, he dedicated his life to creating a healthy and breathable environment for Hong Kong people.
It was through his relentless efforts that more people are now aware that air pollution affects our health as well as our economic prosperity. Hedley recognised that clean air, just like clean food and water, is a basic human right. There can be no doubt air pollution can lead to death and economic loss.
The government should promote clean air for all, just as it has taken and continues to take action to guarantee clean drinking water and food. According to the Hedley index, in 2014, 2,616 people prematurely died because of air pollution, and 4.2 million people visited the doctor. This came at an unprecedented economic cost of more than HK$32 billion.
As our economy has grown, so has our air pollution. Every day, new cars, new buildings and new projects are popping up that affect our lives, for the worse. Developers, however, only highlight the economic benefits to society; they do not speak of the health costs due to pollution that the community bears as a whole. It is an environmental injustice that children, adults and old people alike have to face.