Wong Suk-han: Over the four years from 2020 to 2024, Hong Kong's carbon intensity fell by about 12.3%

On October 30, Wong Suk-han, Acting Secretary for Environment and Ecology of Hong Kong, delivered a speech at the "Carbon Reduction Action Citywide Carbon Reduction Promotion Campaign Roving Exhibition" and said that thanks to the concerted efforts of all sectors, Hong Kong has delivered an impressive report card: total carbon emissions in 2024 were about 33.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, down about 3.6% from 2023, and per capita greenhouse gas emissions also fell to a new low of about 4.41 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, down about 3.5% from 2023, roughly one-quarter of that of the United States and 70% of that of the European Union. In terms of carbon intensity, it was about 0.011 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent per Hong Kong dollar of GDP, a sharp drop of about 6% from 2023. Data show that in the short four years from 2020 to 2024, Hong Kong's carbon intensity fell by as much as about 12.3%. These interim results are attributable to every partner and member of the public who has walked alongside us. As everyone just heard from Ms Kwok Mei-hang, Chairman of the Environmental Campaign Committee, since its launch in May this year, the "Carbon Reduction Habits" page under Carbon Neutrality Campaign 2.1, with the help of publicity from all sides, has recorded more than 112,000 views and has successfully encouraged participating members of the public to set targets to reduce, together within one year, as much as 24,270 tonnes of carbon emissions in clothing, food, housing and transport, once again proving the public's determination to practise carbon reduction. Wong Suk-han continued that, to tie in with the strengthening of waste reduction and recycling programmes and targets proposed in the Chief Executive's 2026 Policy Address, 24-hour smart self-service recycling facilities will gradually increase to about 3,000 sets, smart food waste recycling bins will gradually expand to about 2,500, and IPARK 1 will fully commence operation and construction of IPARK 2 will begin. We are confident that future waste reduction and recycling work will be done better and more thoroughly. Of course, waste reduction and recycling is only one of the four major decarbonisation strategies. For Hong Kong to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, net-zero power generation, energy-saving green buildings and green transport are equally indispensable. In promoting the other three strategies, the SAR Government, especially the Environment and Ecology Bureau, will certainly fully play a leading role. However, whether in the application of decarbonisation technologies or in choosing lower-carbon ways to improve existing operating models, all depend on the full support of partners from all sectors of society. I am pleased to see that the Carbon Neutrality Campaign, jointly promoted by the Environmental Campaign Committee and the Environment and Ecology Bureau since 2023 with funding from the Environment and Conservation Fund, has over the past few years, through organising diversified publicity activities, from building every member of the public's awareness of carbon reduction to encouraging everyone to turn that awareness into action, pooled efforts from many sides to contribute to the carbon neutrality target. I am even more delighted to see that many of the key strategic partners of the Carbon Neutrality Campaign present today have long responded to the call of the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Environmental Campaign Committee by actively implementing decarbonisation measures in their daily operations, including hydrogen development and application, increasing the proportion of zero-carbon energy in the fuel mix for power generation, adopting high-tech energy-saving technologies, and promoting the popularisation of electric vehicles both internally and externally, actively aligning with the core development goals of the 15th Five-Year Plan Outline and the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (20262030) (the First Hong Kong Five-Year Plan). Every step everyone takes forward has made a great contribution to Hong Kong's carbon reduction cause.