Improving air quality tops our environmental agenda, Chief Executive Donald Tsang says, adding air cannot be cleaned up quickly and sustained efforts by Hong Kong and Guangdong are necessary.

In a visit to the Environmental Protection Department today, Mr Tsang was briefed on the regional air-quality monitoring network developed with Guangdong and the efforts to improve regional air quality.

Pollution fighters: Chief Executive Donald Tsang and acting Permanent Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Works Michael Chiu view a demonstration of a 3D environmental impact assessment public-engagement tool. Mr Tsang then chats with Environmental Protection Department frontline staff.

Emission-reduction targets set

He reiterated the Government's commitment to achieving the emission-reduction targets agreed with Guangdong, by 2010, through local emission-reduction measures and co-operation with the province.

Mr Tsang then visited the department's customer-service centre, which handled more than 73,000 complaints and enquiries last year. The number of cases doubled over the past 10 years, partly due to a surge in public awareness of the environment.

Mr Tsang saw how information technology, including a geographic information system, allowed the centre's staff to locate a problem area on a digital map to take immediate action.

Last year the centre resolved 48% of pollution complaints and 96% of general enquiries upon the first call, without the need to refer them to other sections.

Taking the lead

The Chief Executive then viewed a demonstration of a three-dimensional environmental impact assessment public engagement tool which is developed to put into practice the continuous public involvement concept.

Hong Kong is taking the lead in introducing this concept in the environmental impact assessment process.

With the tool, different options for development projects and their environmental performances can be presented in 3D models through coloured illustrations, graphics or multimedia images.

"The use of such tools would foster better communication of environmental impact assessment issues and promote public dialogue on major development projects during project planning and implementation," Mr Tsang said.

He concluded his visit by meeting the department's frontline staff.