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The Environment
The Year's Weather
In 2016, Hong Kong was warmer and much wetter than usual. An intense cold surge, bringing a few days of low temperatures in the latter part of January, was followed in June to August by the third hottest summer since records began in 1884. Overall, the annual mean temperature of 23.6 degrees Celsius was 0.3 degrees higher than normal. Annual total rainfall was 3,026.8mm, about 26 per cent above normal with record-breaking autumn rainfall of 1078.8mm from September to November. Tropical cyclone warning signals were issued nine times, including the No 8 Gale or Storm Signal for the passages of Typhoon Nida in August and Super Typhoon Haima in October.
Climate Change
Measures by Hong Kong
The government attaches great importance to combating climate change. Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions include switching to cleaner fuels for power generation; enhancing energy efficiency, particularly in buildings; adopting wider use of renewable energy and waste- to-energy conversion; and developing an efficient and environment-friendly public transport
system.
The 2016 Policy Address, recognising the need to step up climate actions and formulate long- term strategies, announced a new inter-departmental Steering Committee on Climate Change chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, to steer and coordinate the climate actions of various bureaus and departments. The steering committee reviewed existing policies and the experiences of other countries, and tapped the views of stakeholders and the public. It is considering setting a carbon reduction target for 2030 and implementing measures to enhance mitigation, adaptation and resilience to climate change.
Carbon Intensity Reduction Target
The government focuses on the power and transport sectors, which are the major emission contributors, in working towards its target, set in 2010, of reducing carbon intensity by 50 to 60 per cent by 2020 from the 2005 level. To achieve the targets, the government plans to increase the percentage of natural gas generation to about 50 per cent in 2020, and to maintain the interim measure of importing 80 per cent of nuclear output from the Guangdong Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station so that the import of nuclear energy accounts for about 25 per cent of Hong Kong's total fuel mix. The government is prepared to develop more renewable energy, taking account of views received during a public consultation on the future development of the electricity market in 2015, and will also do more to promote energy saving.
To identify carbon reduction measures, the government in 2015 finished conducting energy cum carbon audits on 120 government buildings and public facilities. For the private sector, it operates a Carbon Footprint Repository to encourage regular carbon auditing. As at December 2016, 70 listed companies had disclosed their carbon management experience and practices through the repository's website. The government and the Hong Kong Exchange jointly organised a carbon audit seminar during Eco Expo Asia 2016 to promote carbon audits among listed companies.
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