December 5, 2023
BEIJING – Aiming to become a global green tech and financial center, Hong Kong plans to increase the share of zero-carbon energy in city’s electricity generation to around 60 percent to 70 percent by 2035, according to Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan.
Addressing the Local Climate Action Summit at the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, Tse said Hong Kong is striving to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050 and has set up four major decarbonization strategies: Net-zero electricity generation, energy saving and green buildings, green transport and waste reduction.
To reduce the carbon emissions from the transport sector, the HKSAR government continues to promote electric vehicles through the “One-for-One Replacement” Scheme, active extension of charging facilities and facilitation of local hydrogen applications and supply
“Hong Kong’s carbon emissions reached its peak in 2014, thus we have set our interim target to reduce carbon emissions by half from the 2005 level before 2035,” Tse said.
“The HKSAR government is actively exploring collaboration with neighboring regions in zero-carbon energy projects, and will construct new infrastructure for receiving electricity transmitted to Hong Kong from nearby regions, so as to further increase the supply of zero-carbon energy to Hong Kong,” he added.
To reduce the carbon emissions from the transport sector, the HKSAR government continues to promote electric vehicles through the “One-for-One Replacement” Scheme, active extension of charging facilities and facilitation of local hydrogen applications and supply.
Over 60 percent of newly registered private cars in Hong Kong are electric, Tse said, adding that the city is also developing itself as an international green technology and finance center to support the financing required for green transition.
On Friday morning, Tse and Permanent Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury (Financial Services) Salina Yan Mei-mei had a meeting with Special Envoy for Climate Change of China from the Chinese delegation Xie Zhenhua.
Tse and Yan also met with Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment Zhao Yingmin and Director of the Department of Climate Change of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment Xia Yingxian to brief them on the Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050, the latest policies and measures of the HKSAR government in combating climate change and the latest developments in green finance in Hong Kong.
After the meeting, Tse and Yan attended the high-level segment of COP28 as members of the Chinese delegation. Tse was scheduled to attend the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group’s Steering Committee meeting on Sunday.