Letters | Hong Kong can wait no longer for cleaner air: update quality standards now
- Hong Kong still has much work to do to ensure air quality. Despite a review of air quality objectives ending in 2018, the city is still operating under 2014 standards. These must be updated
Hong Kong experienced cleaner air in 2020. However, air pollution remains a strong threat to our public health. Analysis conducted by Clean Air Network shows that main pollutants were down last year compared to 2019 but remained at a significantly higher level compared to World Health Organization standards.
Whether or not Covid-19 had a role to play in the cleaner air, Hong Kong still requires much effort before our air is safe to breathe, especially at the roadside. And in ensuring this, the government definitely has a key role to play.
Even during the pandemic, roadside air pollution remains a grave concern. While office workers might be working remotely, many urban areas in Hong Kon are still packed with vehicles, as many still need to regularly commute, and may work or even live by the roadside.
In the past, there were policy interventions made by the government to control emissions, which helped. However, the reduction they brought is not strong enough to get us clean air.
02:07
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