The UN climate talks this month in Durban, South Africa, made just a murmur in Hong Kong news, overshadowed by the doom and gloom of the euro crisis. Yet Durban was filled with high jinks and drama, as well as last-minute uncertainty as to whether the talks would end in success or a total collapse of the Kyoto Protocol.
But, phoenix-like, Durban triumphed and established the landmark 'Durban Platform' to negotiate a new global climate agreement by 2015 to come into force by 2020. This means that, for the first time ever, every country in the world - including the US, China and India, which account for almost half the world's emissions - will be committed to cutting carbon no later than 2020.
This is a major step forward. In particular, the inclusion of the United States, China and India is a landmark. At long last, Hong Kong, too, will be held accountable. Yet, is it enough? Under the Durban agreement, governments will now spend four years negotiating how far and how fast each country should cut carbon emissions. According to scientists, the pledges put forward last year from countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions are not enough to keep global temperatures to within 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, beyond which scientists say climate change becomes catastrophic and irreversible.
The Hong Kong government has already proposed in its 'Climate Change Strategy and Action Agenda' to bring down our carbon intensity by 50-60per cent by 2020. If Hong Kong achieves its target, its greenhouse gas emissions will see an absolute reduction of 19-33per cent in the next eight years.
To achieve this, it will be necessary for Hong Kong to revamp its fuel mix. Various measures have been suggested, such as increasing the supply of imported nuclear energy from the current 23per cent to 50per cent by 2020, increasing natural gas from 23per cent to 40per cent, reducing coal from 54per cent to less than 10per cent, and introducing renewable energy so it makes up 3-4per cent of the mix.
Hong Kong and many other countries will largely meet their carbon reduction targets via nuclear, as it is highly reliable with virtually zero carbon emissions and runs at a competitive cost. Yet, post Fukushima, nuclear-related safety is of huge concern, despite extensive safety checks and nuclear scientists and politicians telling us all is well. China has an active nuclear power programme with 16 nuclear reactors in operation, and 26 more under construction.
