WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1989
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LATE INTRODUCTION OF BILL TO LEGCO REGRETTED
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GOVERNMENT
PROFESSOR THE HON POON CHUNG-KWONG CRITICISED THE TODAY (WEDNESDAY) FOR THE LATE INTRODUCTION OF THE OZONE LAYER PROTECTION BILL 1989 INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
"THIS BILL IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT FROM FURTHER DETERIORATION. IN ORDER THAT OUR FUTURE GENERATION WILL NOT SUFFER THe consequENCE OF OUR OWN DESTRUCTION, TIMELY ACTIONS MUST BE TAKEN, SAID PROFESSOR POON, WHO WAS THE CONVENER OF THE LEGCO AD HOC GROUP FORMED TO STUDY THE BILL.
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SPEAKING IN THE COUNCIL'S RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BILL, PROF POON SAID HE REGRETTED THAT THE AUTHORITIES, HAVING FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT THE LEGISLATION HAD TO BE IN PLACE BY JULY 1 FOR
FOR HONG
HONG KONG TO FULFIL ITS INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL, HAD NOT INTRODUCED THE BILL INTO LEGCO UNTIL MAY 31.
THIS IMPOSED UPON THE AD HOC GROUP A VERY SHORT TIME FRAME FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGLISH AND CHINESE TEXTS OF THE LEGISLATION.
NEVERTHELESS, THE AD HOC GROUP HAD ENDEAVOURED TO ACCOMPLISH THIS DIFFICULT MISSION BY COMMENCING ITS WORK EVEN IN ADVANCE OF THE FIRST READING OF THE BILL.
ALTOGETHER, SIX MEETINGS WERE HELD WITHIN THE SHORT TIME AVAILABLE AND SOME 11 AMENDMENTS TO THE ENGLISH AND 22 AMENDMENTS TO THE CHINESE TEXT WERE AGREED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
ON THE BACKGROUND TO THE BILL, PROF POON SAID THERE WAS WIDE AGREEMENT AMONG SCIENTISTS AROUND THE WORLD THAT THE DEPLETION OF THE OZONE LAYER, CAUSED PRINCIPALLY BY CHLOROFLUOROCARBONS (CFC'S) AND HALONS, WOULD THREATEN PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS IN TERMS OF DAMAGES TO HUMAN HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT IF PROPER CONTROLS WERE NOT ADOPTED IN GOOD TIME.
"THE MAIN USAGES OF CFC'S ARE IN
REFRIGERATION, AIR CONDITIONING, PACKAGING AND AS SOLVENT AND AEROSOL PROPELLANTS . HALONS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE FIRE-FIGHTING MATERIALS BEARING A MUCH HIGHER OZONE DEPLETING POTENTIAL THAN CFC'S," HE EXPLAINED.
HE SAID THE 1985 VIENNA CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE OZONE LAYER AND THE 1987 MONTREAL PROTOCOL ON SUBSTANCES THAT DEPLETE THE OZONE LAYER SIGNIFIED EFFORTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IN SETTING UP AN INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR ADDRESSING THE OZONE DEPLETION PROBLEM.
UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE VIENNA CONVENTION, THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL WAS CONCLUDED IN SEPTEMBER 1987, STIPULATING SPECIFIC CONTROLS. HONG KONG WAS PARTY TO BOTH AGREEMENTS.
SUBSEQUENT
THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL CALLED FOR A FREEZE, AND REDUCTIONS, IN THE PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION OF CFC'S AND HALONS.
/SIGNATORIES TO