Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan and Guangdong Department of Ecology & Environment Director-General Xu Xiaoxia today co-chaired the sixth meeting of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Environmental Protection & Combating Climate Change online.

The meeting reviewed the progress of collaboration in 2024 and agreed on a 2025 work plan.

In the past year, Hong Kong and Guangdong implemented the Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Management Plan and monitored the progress and effectiveness of various improvement measures. In the coming years, they will work together on demonstration projects for cross-boundary goods vehicles transitioning into new energy vehicles and on the construction of the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Air Quality Health Index.

On marine environment management, the Notification & Alert System on Marine Refuse has been activated 56 times as of late November 2024, in response to heavy rainfall or other major marine environmental incidents. Such alerts enabled relevant government departments to take timely clean-up action.

In addition, Hong Kong and Guangdong will continue to promote and deepen exchanges and co-operation on mitigation, adaptation and resilience to climate change and relevant scientific research.

They will also explore technologies and measures to monitor marine refuse and tackle marine environmental incidents.

As regards ecological conservation, the two parties will continue to foster exchanges and enhance collaboration on forestry, ecological corridors across the boundary and wetland reserve projects. They will also continue to take forward the sustainable development of marine resources and the conservation of marine environment.

The joint working group also endorsed the establishment of the Special Panel for Building “Zero Waste Bay Area”. Hong Kong and Guangdong will tackle waste management issues through regional strategies and enhance regional recycling of recyclable materials in the GBA.