XN000022-1991-03-11 — Page 4

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MONDAY, MARCH 11, 1991

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HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S NEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE ENERGY EFFICIENCY WILL BE LOOKING AT WAYS IN WHICH THESE EFFORTS CAN BE FURTHER STRENGTHENED, SHE SAID.

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SHE NOTED THAT ALTHOUGH IN WORLD TERMS, HONG KONG IS A SMALL CONSUMER OF ENERGY, HONG KONG RECOGNISED ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO USB ENERGY EFFICIENTLY AND THEREBY, TO HELP MINIMISE THE ADVERSE IMPACT OF ITS CONSUMPTION ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

"AT THE SAME TIME, AN ACUTE SHORTAGE OF LAND FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW POWER GENERATING PLANTS OR FUEL STORAGE FACILITIES PRESENTS US WITH A FURTHER POWERFUL IMPETUS TO ECONOMISE, SHE SAID.

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MRS CHAN POINTED OUT THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S PLANNING AND POLICY- MAKING MUST STRIKE AN APPROPRIATE BALANCE BETWEEN ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRIORITIES.

"I BELIEVE WE CAN SHAPE POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES WHICH GO A LONG WAY TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS WITHOUT PREJUDICING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, SHE SAID.

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WASTED ENERGY IN HK COSTS $5 BILLION

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THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, DR STUART REED, TODAY (MONDAY) CALLED ON THE COMMUNITY TO EXERCISE EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS TO PREVENT THE WASTE OF ENERGY, IN THE INTERESTS OF A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.

DR REED WAS SPEAKING AT THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY SYMPOSIUM JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, FRIENDS OF THE EARTH AND THE HONG KONG INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS.

APPLIANCES

HE SAID: "THE MISUSE OF ENERGY IN EXISTING SYSTEMS, AND INSTALLATIONS AND THE USE OF OTHER THAN THE MOST UP-TO-DATE ENERGY EFFICIENT TECHNOLOGIES INEVITABLY DAMAGES THE ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE IT LEADS TO THE BURNING OF MORE FOSSIL FUEL THAN WOULD OTHERWISE BE NECESSARY,"

DR REED ESTIMATED THAT HONG KONG WASTED ALMOST $5 BILLION WORTH OF ENERGY IN 1989.

"THE MORE ENERGY THAT IS USED THE MORE FOSSIL FUEL MUST BR BURNED PRODUCING MORE POLLUTING EMISSIONS, ESPECIALLY OF THE GREENHOUSE GAS CARBON DIOXIDE," DR REED SAID.

"TOTAL EMISSIONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE ALONE FROM FOSSIL FUEL COMBUSTION IN HONG KONG IN 1989 WERE NEARLY 34 MILLION TONNES, WHILST EMISSIONS OF CARBON MONOXIDE, SULPHUR DIOXIDE, NITROGEN OXIDES AND PARTICULATES TOTALLED 400,000 TONNES.

/"THESE EMISSIONS