Opinion | Clear air is within Hong Kong’s grasp if authorities will do their job
- The Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong 2035 is a laudable approach that will embrace the latest technology and provide the public with easily accessible information
- Those tasked with executing the plan need clearly defined targets as taking several years to meet lowered expectations is no longer acceptable
Most of these policies had time frames of at least 15 years, but the tenure of the current administration will end around a year from now. This inevitably raises doubts on the continuity of the policy implementation cycle from planning, implementation and review to enhancement.
To ensure these environmental goals are met during future administrations, the government needs to incorporate mechanisms to track progress and a requirement to update the Legislative Council at least annually.
The follow-through on road maps launched by past environment ministers has been lax. For instance, well-articulated targets together with timelines were set in a forward-looking road map titled “A Policy Framework for the Management of Municipal Solid Waste (2005-2014)” that was launched by former environment minister Sarah Liao Sau-tung in 2005.
