Will Hong Kong ever solve its air pollution problem? The Under Secretary for the Environment tells us why she thinks she has the tools to do the job
A big stick and a fat, juicy carrot – these are Christine Loh’s secret weapons against pollution. “Metaphorically speaking, of course,” she says peering over the rim of her snazzy scarlet glasses. She’ll certainly need all the ammunition she can get: as Hong Kong’s Under Secretary for the Environment, she has one almighty fight on her hands.
It has been widely reported that, after more than a decade of green promises, the government has failed to unravel the blanket of noxious smog smothering our city. Far from being a fragrant harbour, Hong Kong is now considered one of the most polluted financial centres in the world, with 3,000 premature deaths each year caused by our less than fresh air.
The main enemies of our environment are a rogue’s gallery of exhaust-spewing, energy-wasting vehicles. But these odious offenders have been on the government’s hit list for more than 10 years – so why has justice never been served?
“It goes back to the carrot and stick,” says Loh, returning to her favourite idiom. “For example, one of our biggest problems is roadside pollution caused by old fleets of commercial diesel vehicles like buses, coaches and trucks, which aren’t as energy efficient as more up-to-date models. Past governments tried to persuade owners to upgrade but without success. The carrot was not attractive and there was no stick.”
By increasing subsidies, Loh believes commerical vehicle owners will seize the carrot and make the switch. “But the government will want a ‘stick’ this time. These major polluting vehicles have to get off the road.”
It’s fighting talk, but after a decade of toothless government initiatives with vague timelines and confused direction, will words be enough?
“Wait here,” says Loh as she jumps out of her chair, strides across her LegCo office and plucks a thick wad of paper from her desk. “See, it’s not just words, it’s a concrete strategy.” Released this quarter, Loh’s new clean-air plan outlines her eco mission for the next four years. “This will tell the public exactly what we plan to do, why we’re doing it and when we’re going to do it by.”
Driven by optimism, Loh says she will be building on past success, not failure. “There have been important positive milestones in the past 15 years so it is untrue to say that the government has failed to reduce pollution in Hong Kong. Notable examples include water quality improvement in Victoria Harbour; and in air pollution, the taxi diesel to LPG (liquid petroleum gas) switch, as well as setting up the regional air monitoring network and emissions reduction agreement with Guangdong.”
Her ambitions may be sky-high, but Loh is a politician with her feet planted firmly on the ground. “We’re not going to do something the world has never seen before. We’re just looking for the right formula for Hong Kong’s unique set of circumstances. It’s like making a salad. There are many different ways to dress it so you must know what you need to end up with to get the job done.”
Carrots… salad, well, it’s definitely a healthy approach to pollution, but will it work? Loh certainly thinks so and, as a trained lawyer, with a career spanning politics, business, social policy, environmental protection, urban planning and the voluntary sector, she appears to be Hong Kong’s best and brightest hope.
To read the full interview with Christine Loh, please purchase the Hong Kong Tatler February 2013 Issue, or subscribe here.