Strength in unity: Wearing traditional Peruvian ponchos, APEC economic leaders - including President Hu Jintao (front left) and Chief Executive Donald Tsang (front second right) - pose for a group photograph.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang has pledged Hong Kong will not step back from efforts to protect the environment, despite the financial turmoil.

On the last day of the APEC economic leaders' meeting in Lima yesterday, Mr Tsang urged member economies to join Hong Kong in not cutting public spending on environmental initiatives.

Noting climate change has no geographical boundary, Mr Tsang said closer co-operation in tackling it is a vitally important undertaking for all APEC economies.

In this regard, Hong Kong has been working closely with other economies, especially its neighbour Guangdong, and is charting a course to transform the highly developed Pearl River Delta Region into a green and quality living area, through setting joint targets on reducing emissions and co-operation in development of renewable energy, among other measures.

On improving air quality, Mr Tsang said the city will adopt in stages the air-quality targets the World Health Organisation recommends.

Items discussed at the meeting included regional economic integration, corporate social responsibility and security issues. Mr Tsang will return to Hong Kong tomorrow.