投資清新空氣 不容再拖/ Invest NOW in Clean Air

惡劣的空氣質素經已令我們飽受損害，直接引致的醫療開支涉及至少 15億元；若包括生產力和人命損失在內，可避免的損失更高達21 0億元。我倡議政府承諾以下綠色新經濟的目標：

1. 承諾在2012年達到世界衞生組織(下稱世衞)指引中期目標2及 諾在2017年達到世衞指引中期目標3，好讓我們可以進一步在2 022年達到世衞指引的終極目標(詳見附件)；
   
2. 參考世衛指引及最新有關空氣污染對公共健康影響的科學數據， 每五年一次對空氣質素指標進行強制性檢討及更新。
   
3. 承諾由現在至2012年間，投入最少500億元以減少本土污染排 放，以履行報告書所提議的「進取措施」；
   
4. 承諾在2012年時，將路邊廢氣排放減少，較2008年的水平減 少一半。

 

社會承受污染的代價超過一半源自路面交通污染， 而骯髒的巴士是污染主要來源之一。政府應在今年的財政預算案中， 成立一個60億元的特別基金，以協助各間巴士公司採取以下措施：

1. 促使型號屬歐盟II期及III期共3500輛專利及非專利巴士， 裝置殿堂級裝置，以便在2009年底之前， 減少高達九成的懸浮粒子的排放， 及減少高達三成的氮化物及非甲烷揮發性有機化合物；
   
2. 促使型號屬歐盟前期共1500輛巴士(最少已有14年車齡)，在 2010年底之前更換成歐盟V期巴士；
   
3. 立法強制已落地車輛按照與美國加州空氣資源局所訂標準同等的排放 標準 ，進行年度檢驗。

 

除了可有效地在兩年內大幅減少路邊空氣污染， 上述措施將會創造新的商機和新的工作職位，包括研究、製造、 維修及管理等方面。我們呼籲政府趕上綠色新經濟的潮流。 現在率先要做的，就是立即投資清新空氣。 
 

Invest NOW in Clean Air

Poor air quality has cost us dearly, accounting for at least $1.5 billion in direct healthcare every year and $21 billion in total avoidable costs including productivity loss and premature deaths. Tackling air pollution is not only a smart investment; it is the only responsible way to avert a public health crisis. I urge the Government to adopt the following targets as part of the Green New Deal: 

1. To commit to meet the WHO IT-2 targets in 2012 and IT-3 targets in 2017, so as to move us forward in meeting the WHO air quality guidelines in full no later than 2022 (see Appendix);
   
2. To have mandatory reviews to update air quality standards every five years with reference to WHO guidelines and current science on public health impacts of air pollution.
   
3. To commit to invest at least $50 billion in reducing local pollution between now and 2012, corresponding to the action prescribed for the “bold scenario” in the CSD report.
   
4. To commit to reduce total road-side emissions to 50% of 2008 level by year 2012.

 
Dirty buses are major sources of traffic-related pollution which accounts for over half of the total costs of pollution to the community. As an illustration of what is feasible, the Government may set up a special fund of $6 billion from this year’s budget to help bus companies to take the following measures: 

1. Require all the 3500 Euro II and III franchised buses and non-franchised buses to fit state-of-the-art after-treatment devices which will reduce particulate emissions by up to 90% as well as NOx and NMVOC by up to 30%, before the end of 2009.
   
2. Require all the 1500 pre-Euro buses, which are at least 14 years old, to be replaced with Euro V standard vehicles, before the end of 2010.
   
3. Legislate a mandatory annual check on in-use vehicles to comply with emission standards at equivalent levels to that set by the California Air Resources Board⁶.

 

In addition to drastically reducing road-side pollution within two years, the above measures will create new business opportunities and new jobs in research, production, operation, maintenance and management.