Policies of HKSAR govenment to tackle problems of global warming

The Hong Kong Observatory predicts that Hong Kong will experience a 3.5
degree centigrade rise in temperature over the city’s 1990 figure by the end of 21st century, which is a rate even higher than the world’s average. The
imminent crisis resulted from global warming is evident to Hong Kong.

The effect of global warming has been a hot topic for years. One million species are threatened with extinction by climate change. Disappearing Plankton, bottom of the food chain, disturbs the whole ecological environment. Weakened forests would give way to grasslands, and many forest species would fade away. Drought and possibly famine may be happened in China, the source of much of Hong Kong's food. Hong Kong could also be at risk from flooding as sea levels rose.

To save our earth, policies from difference countries had been issued. The major cause of global warming is the emission of green house gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. Therefore, most of the policies are aimed to avoid green house gases.

In Hong Kong, Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy of HKSAR Government can help to reduce the problems of global warming. It encompasses protection of natural habitats, establishing sites with Special Scientific Interests(SSI), nature and parks such as country parks and marine parks reserve. Prevention of environmental degradation by law, Harbour Protection Ordinance, Ordinances for protection of endangered species, various pollution ordinances, is also included.

Renewable energy use and fewer cars are also encouraged. Hong Kong has been working closely with other economies, especially its neighbors and is charting a course to transform the highly developed Pearl River Delta Region into a green and quality living area, through setting joint targets on reducing emissions and co-operation in development of renewable energy, among other measures.

Actually, there are three main policies of HKSAR government. Firstly, cooperation with the Mainland. Extending the emission trading regime between the HKSAR and Guangdong Governments to cover carbon emissions. Secondly, energy policy. Securing the sustainable supply of liquefied natural gas in long term and facilitating increasing use of natural gas and adopting a regulatory approach to encourage energy conservation by end users. Finally, pollution tracking. Pollution mapping to enable more specific emission reduction targets to be set, and to improve micro-climates of specific districts through appropriate town planning and urban design measures.

Government has planned for long-lasting development so that it would not adversely affect the future environment nor have any impact to next generation. However, it is not enough. To tackle the problems of global warming, everyone is responsible to participate.