Summer is here and the southerly wind has brought a pleasant spell of fine days with blue sky and white clouds. When we look back on the hazy, discouraging days, it reinforces our determination to drive the pollutants away and win back our blue skies.

The Government has done a lot in recent years to improve air quality. Compared with 1997, major pollutants in the air have been reduced.

In 2004, the concentration of respirable suspended particulates and nitrogen oxides recorded at roadside air quality monitoring stations fell by 9% and 24% respectively. Except for sulphur dioxide, emissions of major pollutants dropped between 16% to 28%.

This is still far from being enough. Roadside air-quality monitoring stations are recording high Air Pollution Indices from time to time and we continue to have days of low visibility in the urban areas.

People are still disappointed and frustrated with our air quality. The Hong Kong SAR government must look the problem in the eye. We, as well as the community as a whole, should also look the problem in the face.

Must achieve target step by step

However, measures to improve air quality do not yield results in the short term. It is essential that we set our target well ahead and strive to achieve it step by step.

Four years ago, we set targets with the Guangdong Provincial Government that would see, by 2010, a significant reduction in emissions of four major air pollutants in the region. To achieve this target, Guangdong and Hong Kong have put in place a series of measures.

Guangdong is adopting measures to expand the use of cleaner fuels, restrict the level of sulphur in fuels, phase out small-scale and highly polluting power plants, install desulphurisation systems in generation units, and strictly control vehicle emissions.

Power plants major pollution source

In Hong Kong, power plants are still the major source of pollution in terms of emissions, with the amount of sulphur dioxide released accounting for 92% of the total. The Government has imposed emission caps in the licences of the power plants.

In the long run, the Government expects to require power companies to reduce emissions drastically and impose penalties for failing to meet the emission caps through the new Scheme of Control Agreements after 2008.

To meet the 2010 emission reduction targets, the Government has also implemented other measures, including:

* tightening the specifications for petrol to the Euro IV standard;

* introducing Euro IV emission standards to newly registered vehicles;

* requiring the installation of vapour-recovery systems at petrol stations; these petrol-dispensing nozzle systems can reduce petrol waste and vaporisation;

* controlling volatile organic compounds emissions from specific products; and

* introducing a mandatory energy efficiency labelling scheme covering room coolers, refrigerators and compact fluorescent lamps.

Emissions to be cut by 2010

These measures, when implemented, will help us achieve the targets for cutting emissions by 2010. However, if we have the public's participation, we believe the project will get double the result with half the effort.

Maybe you will ask: How much can one do? How potent will the force be? As we breathe the same air, we should all chip in to improve air quality. A little help from every citizen will mean a lot in cleaning the air.

Raise temperatures, lower bills

Take energy conservation as an example. Power used for air-conditioning accounts for one-third of our total energy consumption. If we can raise the temperature of all air-conditioned venues by three degrees Celsius, that is to increase the temperature from 21 or 22 degrees Celsius to 25.5 degrees Celsius as the government advocates, we can save about 1 billion units of electricity a year. This means the public can save $900 million in electricity tariffs.

According to experts, the move will also help cut 700,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, 2,400 tonnes of sulphur dioxide, 1,200 tonnes of nitrogen oxides and 100 tonnes of respirable suspended particulates annually. The figures are remarkable.

Therefore, improving air quality requires the whole community's participation. I would like to take this opportunity to announce that the Environmental Protection Department will kick off a series of publicity and public education activities from end-July, to encourage the public and the business sector to partake in cleaning up the air.

Charter a good start

The "Clear Air Charter", initiated by the business sector last year, is a good start. The Government will show its support by endorsing the charter.

At the community level, people can make use of public transport, turn off idling engines, choose electric appliances with higher energy efficiency, switch off home appliances such as televisions and lights when not in use before leaving a room, choose electrical appliances covered by the Energy Efficiency Labelling Scheme and avoid using goods with volatile organic compounds such as hair spray and air refreshener.

And again, don't forget to raise air-conditioned room temperature to save electricity.

Gov't departments to adhere to standard

All Government bureaus/departments have raised the air-conditioned room temperature to the standard, 25.5 degrees Celsius. Our colleagues were not used to it at the beginning, but they soon found it quite comfortable. We have been appealing to the private sector to follow suit.

We can encourage casual summer dress and to this end, the Government will launch a Dress Down in Summer Campaign. Policies allowing civil servants to dress casually in summer have been put in place.

In response to the green groups' appeal, the Civil Service Bureau will issue a reminder later today to encourage colleagues to dress in casual, but appropriate, attire in summer. They will no longer need to wear jackets and ties to work.

Out of deference to the Legislative Council, I am still wearing a suit and a bowtie. However, when the Question-and-Answer session comes to an end, my bowtie and coat will be coming off.

I hope the private sector will also encourage their staff to dress casually in summer wherever appropriate. The move will allow them to feel more comfortable and it is environmental friendly. I understand that various trades have their dress codes, such as bankers wearing suits and lawyers wearing their robes in court. We also have to dress up when receiving guests. However, we can be more casual on some occasions.

All practical measures to be considered

The Government will consider all practical measures to improve air quality, which can eliminate pollution, protect public health and boost investors' confidence in Hong Kong in the long run. Aggressive emission-reduction measures will inevitably cause short-term inconvenience to the public, and increase operational costs for certain sectors. Therefore, it is necessary to have sufficient discussion in the community and reach a social consensus before implementing any aggressive measures.

At this stage, we should take every small step to support the clean-air initiative in our daily lives. As mentioned before, the results of all our efforts will be great.

Hong Kong is a small place. Air pollution affects everyone regardless of age, wealth, status and profession. So, citizens should shoulder the responsibility together. I hope all Hong Kong people, the local business community, and businessmen investing in the Pearl River Delta Region fully support the activities to be launched by the Environmental Protection Department for a blue sky.

Chief Executive Donald Tsang gave this address in the Legislative Council ahead of a Q&A session with lawmakers.