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The Environment Bureau and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department are jointly holding the Energy Saving for All 2016 Campaign this year to promote energy saving for combating climate change.
Officiating at the launching ceremony of the Energy Saving for All 2016 Campaign today (June 20), the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, said that climate change is now a great global challenge. Countries around the world adopted the Paris Agreement in December last year with an objective of holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels. The agreement is a crucial step in forging global efforts to combat climate change. As in other places, Hong Kong should get ready for taking collaborative actions to overcome the challenges of combating climate change.
Mr Wong noted that the Government has implemented measures on various fronts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with a view to achieving the target of reducing carbon intensity by 50 to 60 per cent from the 2005 level by 2020. The promotion of energy saving is one of the key government initiatives to address climate change. The Government unveiled last year the first-ever Energy Saving Plan for Hong Kong's Built Environment 2015~2025+ to set a new target for reducing Hong Kong's energy intensity by 40 per cent by 2025. Mr Wong pointed out that community participation is essential for achieving the target. He said he hopes that the Energy Saving for All 2016 Campaign can foster close partnership among the Government, the business sector and non-governmental organisations, as well as schools and tertiary education institutions, to widely promote energy saving in each sector. He urged the community to actively contribute to the promotion of a healthy, liveable and sustainable environment for Hong Kong.
The Energy Saving for All 2016 Campaign comprises the Energy Saving Charter 2016, the prize presentation ceremony for the Youth Energy Saving Award and the Energy Saving Championship Scheme. Details are as follows:
* Energy Saving Charter 2016
Buildings account for about 90 per cent of total electricity consumption in Hong Kong and contribute more than 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, one-third of which are caused by air-conditioning. The Government launched the Energy Saving Charter on Indoor Temperature in 2012 to invite the building and property management sectors to sign up for the charter and pledge to reduce electricity consumption on air-conditioning during mid-summer (June to September) by maintaining the indoor temperature at their premises between 24 and 26 degrees C. This year, invitation to the Energy Saving Charter 2016 has been extended to schools and tertiary education institutions. Apart from maintaining the appropriate indoor temperature, the signatories are also required to take a further step and pledge to switch off electrical appliances when they are not in use, and to procure energy efficient appliances, including electrical appliances with the Grade 1 Energy Label, during the period from June 2016 to May 2017 so as to collaboratively reduce Hong Kong's total electricity consumption and carbon emissions. This year, over 3,000 participants have signed up for the Energy Saving Charter 2016, including around 1,900 shopping malls, shops, office premises and offices; some 800 housing estates and residential buildings; and some 250 properties of non-governmental organisations. In addition, about 80 schools and tertiary education institutions are new signatories to the charter.
* Youth Energy Saving Award prize presentation ceremony
Launched last year, the Youth Energy Saving Award encourages young people to form teams to plan for and implement energy saving measures. At the prize presentation ceremony held today, the winning teams gave out the cash rewards to their nominated non-governmental organisations for provision of youth services to improve the living conditions of the needy. The competition was divided into primary school, secondary school and open group categories. Winning teams from the secondary school and open group categories will join the Overseas "Low Carbon City" Study Mission to learn about energy saving technologies and measures, and will share what they have learnt. This event carries both environmental and social value, and can help promote energy saving as well as a harmonious and caring culture.
* Energy Saving Championship Scheme
The Energy Saving Championship Scheme is newly launched this year to commend organisations that have excellent energy saving performance in adopting energy efficient technologies, apply operational optimisation of energy consuming systems, and promote energy saving to their tenants and occupants. The participating organisations comprise shopping malls, office premises, housing estates and residential buildings, schools and tertiary education institutions. Winning organisations will share their experience with relevant trades on the best practices in energy saving and related technologies so as to promote energy saving in the community and continuously enhance the energy efficiency performance of existing buildings, and thus develop Hong Kong into a low-carbon and liveable city.
For details of the Energy Saving for All 2016 Campaign, please visit the thematic website: www.energysaving.gov.hk/en/home/index.html.
Ends/Monday, June 20, 2016
Issued at HKT 20:23
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