A green Hong Kong in 2030 and beyond? Not according to this plan
Loong Tsz-Wai says the proposals set out in the Hong Kong 2030 Plus blueprint – with its new towns, reclaimed island and development axes – run counter to the goal of a truly liveable city
Hong Kong government’s plan for new towns and reclaimed islands to house growing population
We fully support the initiative for a more walkable environment. But how far can the plan really protect our environment?
The blueprint calls for the development of two other business districts (in Kowloon East and the proposed East Lantau Metropolis) apart from the one in Central; two strategic growth areas (East Lantau Metropolis and New Territories North); and three “emerging axes” (a Western economic corridor, Eastern knowledge and technology corridor, and Northern economic belt). The impact of this decentralised approach should be studied carefully.
Plans for expanded living space and scenic areas in Hong Kong’s post-2030 blueprint
Battle pollution whether it comes from the seas or the roads
For a start, how would our air quality be affected? According to the consultation report, some areas in Hong Kong – such as Tsing Yi and a part of Kwai Chung – will not be able to meet the air quality objective of having annual nitrogen dioxide emission levels that won’t exceed 40 micrograms per cubic metre by 2020. This means roadside pollution would be worse in these areas compared with the rest of Hong Kong.
This is the first time the government has revealed such projections. Does this estimation already include key data, such as traffic surveys for road networks around the air monitoring stations, and the expected traffic growth from the proposed strategic growth areas and development axes? If the answer is no, then the number would be a serious underestimation of the pollution levels by 2020.
The government advocates the development of a high-density compact city. We applaud this vision, but argue that the development of two strategic areas will contradict this principle, which aims to centralise a society’s social and economic activities in order to better preserve its ecologically sensitive areas.
Hong Kong Town Planning Board members criticise government for failing to curb car growth in city
As the report noted, the number of private vehicles in Hong Kong has increased by an average of 3 per cent a year for the past 20 years. If this trend continues, the city would see some 1.23 million vehicles by 2041, which would be more than double the number in 2015. This is clearly unsustainable.