The Causes Behind Hong Kong’s Air Pollution Problem
On August 1, the Air Pollution Index readings in Hong Kong hit an all-time high, with all three of the city’s roadside air-monitoring stations (located in Mong Kok, Central and Causeway Bay) logging worryingly elevated ratings. In fact, the only other instance readings were this high was when a sandstorm from China blew dust all over the city in 2010. This time, Hongkongers singled out Typhoon Vicente as the culprit: after the T10-level storm passed over us on July 24, it caused a meteorological effect that made it more difficult for pollutants to disperse. Facebook and Twitter feeds exploded with photos and complaints about the noxious environment, which made even inhaling an uncomfortable chore. (When we put out a call for photos to our readers, pictured in this article, we were inundated with shots within moments.) But is the storm really to blame, or is it just an easy scapegoat for a difficult problem? HK Magazine decided to take a closer look at what—or who—is really behind Hong Kong’s awful air pollution, from mainland China’s factories to Hong Kong’s own lax government policies to energy-wasting Hongkongers themselves.
China
We love to complain about the mainland’s toxic factories, but how much can we really blame China for our noxious air?
Hongkongers seem especially fond of chalking up our abhorrent air quality to the folks across the border. With hundereds of factories belching out emissions in neighboring Guangdong province, this assumption seems to make sense. Besides, mainland China’s no angel when it comes to air pollution—Beijing, for instance, is bemoaned by tourists and residents alike for its blanket of chronic brown smog. Melonie Chau of local green charitable organization Friends of the Earth concedes that there may be some grains of truth to this much-trumpeted accusation—regional conditions do indeed contribute to Hong Kong’s poor air quality to a certain extent. “The particulate matter emissions of Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region are in the proportion of one to 99,” she says. “Hong Kong can do very little to change it.” However, she goes on to add that the impact of local roadside emissions on Hong Kong’s air is much greater than whatever the mainland dishes out to us day after day.
In fact, a deeper look reveals that, comparatively, the mainland contributes less to local pollution than Hongkongers themselves: a research study conducted by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2007 indicates that regional sources contribute to 36 percent of Hong Kong’s overall air pollution, while local sources are responsible for a whopping 53 percent of the total. A study conducted by Hong Kong’s Environmental Protection Department and the Guangdong Province Environmental Protection Bureau in 2002—that there isn’t a more up-to-date report should speak for itself—echoes the fact that, while factories and power stations in the Pearl River Delta region do add to the poor air quality in the city, local traffic is actually the biggest contributor. One more thing to consider: we give just as much as we get. Hong Kong pollutants spread across the border as well, worsening the air outside of the city.
Our government is also doing less to combat pollution compared with our mainland counterparts. Mike Kilburn, head of environmental strategy at non-profit think-tank Civic Exchange, lays out the contrast: “Hong Kong used to be the environmental leader in China, and [it] has now become a follower—China introduced its new air quality standards before Hong Kong in January this year. This is a disgrace. We are the richest city in China and have the most experience in environmental management and therefore [we have] the ability to set the standard.” Erica Chan, campaign manager at local NGO the Clean Air Network (CAN), assesses Hong Kong’s efforts to clamp down on air pollution in light of those put forth by the hazy Chinese capital. “Beijing suffers far higher levels of air pollution than Hong Kong does. However, their government is much more aggressive in tackling the problem,” Chan says.
“In 2011, the Beijing government set aside $2.1 billion [HKD] to improve air quality, $390 million of which was for vehicle emissions control. In comparison, the Hong Kong government allotted only $559 million for air quality measures.” Other major cities—including Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen—are also taking big steps to curb air pollution—Shenzhen aims to replace 50 percent of its combustion engine buses with electric buses or hybrids by 2015, while Hong Kong again comes up short, with no concrete plan to transition its fleet of buses from gas to electric. Government representatives in Guangdong are also cooperating with the local government to reduce air pollution within the region.
Verdict: Blaming the mainland for our bad air isn’t only counterproductive—it’s more or less false.
Hong Kong on a clear day vs. a polluted one | Photo credit: Megan Jack