Green agenda: Chief Executive Donald Tsang says Hong Kong is working on several fronts to improve the environment.

Having a green agenda is no longer something that is imported or foisted upon Asian countries or cities, Chief Executive Donald Tsang says. It is an essential element in the ongoing success of cities such as Hong Kong, and of greater economic groupings such as the Pearl River Delta.

Speaking at the luncheon for Boao Forum for Asia 2008 conference today, Mr Tsang said Hong Kong's future depends on how well the city can keep adding value to the services it provides to the world, to its own country, and to its own citizens.

"Hong Kong has an excellent business environment, a superb location and unrivalled potential. Low taxes, world-class infrastructure, global connectivity, excellent human capital have all been central to our success so far.

"But, this will not be enough to secure future prosperity. Our citizens and residents expect more, particularly in terms of quality of life. Economic growth and environmental protection now have a symbiotic relationship - they need each other, and in turn sustain each other."

Clean environment vital

Improving the environment sits at the top of his policy agenda, he said.

"If we want to compete for talent and brainpower, if we want to retain our home-grown human capital, if we want to develop our services sector, then providing a clean and green environment is vital."

Hong Kong is now working on several fronts to improve the environment, including capping the amount of pollutants that power plants are allowed to emit, linking the two power companies' rates of return to their environmental performance, and giving a higher rate of return to power-generation facilities using renewable energy.

The Government is also promoting energy conservation, reviewing Hong Kong's air-quality objectives, improving the living environment through greening, promoting sustainable construction, and sustaining the usefulness of historical buildings in a new way.

"Hong Kong is committed to building a sustainable future and to ensuring that our future generations can continue to thrive in a clean, green, creative and welcoming environment worthy of our positioning as Asia's world city," Mr Tsang said.