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The Council for Sustainable Development (SDC) held a conference today (January 28) for stakeholders and experts from the business community and relevant sectors to explore issues relating to energy efficiency and conservation, the fostering of a sustainable built environment and the development of a low-carbon economy, as well as to share good practices in enhancing energy efficiency in buildings.
In the opening address, the Chairman of the SDC, Mr Bernard Chan, said, "Rapid economic development is depleting our limited resources at an increasing pace and our current mode of energy consumption is not sustainable. These challenges should set off alarm bells. We must rethink our way of life and the future of our society.
"People are increasingly aware of the need to play their part in sustainable energy use. This also explains why there is a global drive for energy efficiency and conservation technology and applications, as well as an increasing demand for such products and services."
The SDC completed a public engagement exercise entitled "Combating Climate Change: Energy Saving and Carbon Emission Reduction in Buildings" last year. Mr Chan noted that the key lesson from the engagement exercise is the need for all sectors of the community to act together and reflect on what people can do to help conserve energy. Currently, some 90 per cent of the electricity consumed in Hong Kong is used in buildings, and this consumption accounts for 60 per cent of Hong Kong's greenhouse gas emissions.
Concluding the conference, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, expressed his gratitude to the SDC's concerted efforts to proposing to the Government recommendations on environmental issues.
He said that the Government has attached great importance to energy saving. The 2013 Policy Address has proposed some new initiatives as well as enhancing the current policies in this aspect.
"In the past few years, government buildings have reached the targets beyond the emission reduction being set. This has set an example for the society."
Among other things, the Government has brought into full operation the Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance and is also reviewing the Energy Saving Charter with over 100 participating malls with a view to expanding its scope of coverage.
With regard to the carbon audit, Mr Wong noted that the Government has taken the recommendation by the SDC to set up a carbon footprint repository. Listed companies will be invited to carry out carbon audit and upload the relevant information on their respective websites for public information.
He added that the Government will show its commitment by injecting $5 billion to the Environment and Conservation Fund to take forward public education, research and other programmes for a green community. Mr Wong will also be chairing an inter-departmental steering committee to strengthen the co-ordination among bureaux and departments in promoting green building, in both the public and private sectors in Hong Kong. This collaboration is expected to have a huge impact on the sustainability of the built environment.
The conference today attracted over 500 participants from the business, professional, environmental, social, green and school sectors, and covered many important issues including systemic enhancement of energy use, global models of low-carbon measures, energy audits and green business opportunities. For more details of the conference, please refer to www.sdconference2013.com.hk/en/.
Ends/Monday, January 28, 2013
Issued at HKT 21:38
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