How Hong Kong can step up the fight against climate change

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Hong Kong, an international financial centre and bustling metropolis, is grappling with the monumental task of battling climate change. Recognising the urgency, the government launched the Climate Action Plan 2050 back in 2021. 

The plan featured four primary strategies for carbon reduction: achieving net-zero electricity generation, promoting energy-efficient and green buildings, advancing green transport, and pushing for territory-wide waste reduction. 

Despite the city’s commendable strides in recent years, more concrete steps are necessary. Hong Kong must consider introducing a carbon tax. Putting a price on carbon emissions effectively factors in the environmental cost of pollution. Such a scheme could spur businesses and individuals to diminish their carbon footprints and channel their resources towards cleaner technologies. 

Given its robust economy and significant carbon emissions per capita, Hong Kong is in a unique position to set a precedent. It is worth noting, however, that a carbon tax is no long-term solution to climate change. 

To truly turn the tide against climate change and secure a brighter future for subsequent generations, the city must embrace research and innovation. Hong Kong must prioritise investment in the development of clean energy technologies, sustainable urban planning and climate adaptation strategies. 

Through the fostering of partnerships among academic institutions, government bodies and the private sector, Hong Kong could emerge as a nexus for pioneering research and innovation in climate change mitigation and adaptation. 

Moreover, Hong Kong must bolster its adaptive measures to weather the impacts of climate change. The city faces considerable threats from rising sea levels, severe weather patterns and heatwaves, which could wreak havoc on both infrastructure and people. By integrating climate resilience into urban planning, Hong Kong could devise innovative solutions like green infrastructure, strategies for mitigating the urban heat island effect, and designs for sustainable built environments. 

The Netherlands’ Room for the River programme, a design plan that successfully addressed flood prevention, serves as inspiration. Investment in early warning systems and disaster preparedness could also help alleviate the potential human and economic toll of climate-related catastrophes. 

In light of the urgency and scale of the global environmental crisis, Hong Kong’s climate policies require significant enhancement. By enforcing a carbon tax, fostering research and innovation, and strengthening adaptive measures, Hong Kong has the potential to emerge as the vanguard in the fight against climate change. The moment for decisive action is upon us, and Hong Kong has the opportunity to sculpt a greener and more prosperous future for the generations to follow. 

(*Reposted from South China Morning Post – LETTERS published on 21 Dec 2023) 
https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3245690/3-ways-hong-kong-step-climate-action 

COP28 氣候大會:為何淘汰化石燃料那麼難?

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「聯合國氣候變化框架公約」第 28 次締約方大會(COP28)上週閉幕,最終達成的協議呼籲全球擺脫化石燃料,實現能源轉型。在今屆充滿爭議的氣候峰會,化石燃料的未來成為焦點。到底為何一直難以淘汰化石燃料?

分析師仍在拆解 COP28 發佈的文件。目前的關鍵之一,是起草者在談判後決定廢除「逐步淘汰」化石燃料的概念,轉為只強調「過渡」措辭。英國雜誌「經濟學人」指出,有些人會對協議感到失望,小島嶼國家的聲音被忽視,協議只規定「有增無減」的煤電要被淘汰,只要國家使用碳捕集與封存(CCS)技術減排,就可以繼續燃燒化石燃料。

全球協議只是一小步,更難的任務是行動。這次達成的協議向石油公司發出一個信號,例如勘探許可證面臨的法律挑戰;但要減少對化石燃料的依賴,最終需要使其失去競爭力。結合碳價格和針對清潔技術的補貼,或能在富國實現這一目標。

COP28 基本上迴避了窮國需要支援這個問題。擁有化石燃料儲備的發展中國家認為,期望它們在沒有援助的情況下放棄收入來源並不公平。智庫能源轉型委員會表示,要盡早擺脫煤電,富國需要在 10 年內每年向窮國提供約 250 億至 500 億美元的贈款和其他融資。

但若然逐步淘汰化石燃料,對石油市場有何影響?「華爾街日報」分析,COP28 的聲明沒有具體提及石油,但該協議標誌著化石燃料時代「開始終結」。替代能源資產管理公司 Ecofin 高級基金經理 Matt Breidert 認為,要理解協議對石油意味甚麼,要看市場在哪些領域有化石燃料的「合適替代品」,海上風力發電可取代煤炭、陸上風能和太陽能可取代部分天然氣,但有些化石燃料暫未有合適替代品,例如在現代經濟和社會中廣泛使用的一些石油產品。

整體而言,溫室氣體排放分為 3 大範圍,企業若想制定減少排放及使用化石燃料之目標,都柏林城市大學助理教授 Fabiola Schneider 在 The Conservation 撰文稱,企業對範圍 3 排放負責任的第一步,是提高透明度。公司在採購決策中應對上游供應鏈排放確實有些進展,但使用產品時的排放難以解決。自願性碳抵消市場上出售的碳信用額,用於抵銷化石燃料排放,然後再於產品貼上「碳中和」標籤並出售,但只有不到 5% 的抵銷額能真正消除大氣中的二氧化碳。因此,將焦點放在範圍 3 排放,可鼓勵企業在實現淨零目標時顧及整個業務模式,更重要的是,這將使多年來一直從污染中獲利的企業承擔責任。

*原文刊登於CUP媒體。