Source: Wikipedia (( Air Pollution In Hong Kong))
Health implications
The mortality rate from vehicular pollution can be twice as high near heavily travelled roads, based on a study conducted in Holland at residences 50 meters from a main road and 100 meters from a freeway.[3] Since millions of people in Hong Kong live and work in close proximity to busy roads, this presents a major health risk to city residents. The Hong Kong Medical Association estimates that air pollution can exacerbate asthma, impair lung function and raise the risk of cardio-respiratory death by 2 to 3 percent for every increase of 10 micrograms per cubic metre of pollutants.[3] Studies by local public health experts have found that these roadside pollution levels are responsible for 90,000 hospital admissions and 2,800 premature deaths every year.
Chief Executive Donald Tsang declared that the high life-expectancy of Hong Kong demonstrates that concerns over air quality were not justified.
| “ | The life expectancy in Hong Kong is among the highest in the world ... you can come to only one conclusion: we have the most environmental-friendly place for people, for executives, for Hong Kong people to live.[4] | ” |
Professor Anthony Hedley, chair of community medicine at Hong Kong University, said "Tsang is badly advised on current public health issues." Hedley added that air pollution levels in Hong Kong were extremely high, and could affect the lungs, blood vessels and heart.[4] James Tien, former Chairman of the Liberal Party of Hong Kong, retorted, "Can [Tsang] really be confident that, if pollution continues to worsen, will he be able to promise the same life expectancy for our children and for our grandchildren?"[5]
[edit] Economic impact
Even as early as 2000, the total negative impact to the Hong Kong Economy, including cardiorespiratory disease was in excess of HK$11.1 billion.[6] Research by three universities and a think-tank estimates that the pollution is costing Hong Kong about HK$21.2 billion a year in hospital admissions and lost productivity. In addition, about 1,600 deaths a year might be avoided if air quality improves.[7]
Made aware of fresh statistical and anecdotal evidence that pollution is driving away business and hurting Hong Kong's global competitiveness, James Tien called air pollution "a health issue, a lifestyle issue, a tourism issue, a business issue, and increasingly a political issue."[5]
Merrill Lynch downgraded several Hong Kong property companies because of air quality concerns, and there have been warnings from the head of the Stock Exchange that pollution was scaring investors away.[5] It said that the air quality in Hong Kong is now regularly so poor that its "long-term competitiveness is in some doubt", and advised clients to switch into developers in Singapore instead.[7]
Pollution is dramatically harming not only the health of citizens of Hong Kong but also its economy, particularly relating to the ability to attract skilled foreign labour.[8]
The chairman of the Danish Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong said each year at least two or three people decline offers to work in the Hong Kong offices of member companies because of pollution: "It's going to cost us in the future if we don't clean up here".
"Five years ago, air quality wasn't a concern when people considered whether to relocate to Hong Kong", said Jardine Engineering Corp. Chief Executive James Graham. "[In the past, one of the advantages was clean air. We can no longer say that". A London-based human resources consultant recommends that companies pay a 10 percent hardship allowance to lure expatriates, partly because of air quality.[9]
[edit] Causes
The pollution has been attributed to coal-fired power stations and traffic, although a significant contribution comes from the tens of thousands of factories in China's neighbouring manufacturing heartland in the Pearl River Delta. [10]
曾經支持特首梁振英的劉夢熊近期猛烈批梁，並因涉嫌賄賂被捕，但他可能會續任港區全國政協委員五年。