The Hong Kong Climate Action Report

< Back

Past Event

2021-12-16

CarbonCare InnoLab warns Hong Kong will miss the 2050 carbon neutrality target unless ambition levels are raised for 2030

CarbonCare InnoLab (CCIL) launches today (Thursday, 16 December) the third annual Paris Watch Hong Kong Climate Action Report, assessing the Hong Kong SAR’s performance against the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. It also summarizes the key results from the UN COP26 climate talks held in November 2021 that are relevant to tracking and comparing the performance of Hong Kong and the selected East Asian cities against Paris Agreement targets. While the Hong Kong SAR Government has set a good example by declaring a carbon neutral target for 2050 and published a roadmap, the Paris Watch Report warns that it is unlikely the 2050 net zero goal will be achieved without raising ambition levels for 2030.

The Hong Kong’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 were tentatively measured at 4.5 tCO2-e, indicating a 15% drop from the 5.3 tCO2-e in 2019, which can be attributed to the increased use of natural gas in Hong Kong’s power stations. We also witness a slight improvement of renewable energy in the Hong Kong’s fuel mix, about 1% in buildings’ energy efficiency during 2018 and 2019 period, and a steady rise of the use of New Energy Vehicle, including Zero Emission Vehicles in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is also among the East Asian frontrunners in achieving 2050 carbon neutrality targets, and has taken positive steps in climate governance, including advancing climate finance and enhancing international cooperation.

Hong Kong SAR government released “Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050” on 8 October 2021, which we expect an update from the earlier climate action plans and targets for 2030. However, the progress and the plan Hong Kong made towards net zero goal meet with multiple challenges and concerns.

  1. The new 2035 mid-term reduction targets are not aligned with the IPCC’s warning that 2030 is a critical milestone for carbon reduction target. It recommends that the HKSAR Government should raise its 2030 carbon reduction targets in order to achieve 1.5°C warming limit under the Paris Agreement. These new targets are also not aligned with the IPCC’s recommendation for a reduction of 45% carbon emissions by 2030 relative to 2010 levels. The fact that 2020 carbon emission levels fell short of the target set in the 2015 plan, which was not documented in the new plan, also casts doubt over the government’s determination to report openly on progress towards meeting its targets.
  2. In order to keep the temperature rise within 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, which is required by the Paris Agreement, Hong Kong should play its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The overarching requirement is to set a clear and calibrated decarbonisation pathway towards carbon neutrality before 2050. Carbon emission reduction targets should be set up in every five years, i.e. 2025, 2030 and 2035 and onwards, to ensure we are on track towards carbon neutrality. The current targets for 2030 and 2035 should be updated and aligned with the requirements of Paris Agreement. Based on our projection we recommend a 60% greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 from 2005 levels.
  3. Clear reduction targets with timelines must be set for all major sources of greenhouse gas emissions, i.e. power generation, buildings, transport and waste management. These must combine to demonstrate how they contribute to overall reduction targets.
  4. Hong Kong should be able to set a more ambitious target for renewable energy. Energy saving measures for buildings should be made mandatory. Fossil-fuelled vehicles should be fully phased out from road transport, rather than just no longer registered, with a clear timeline and transition plan, in order to raise the market-share of the zero emission vehicles.
  5. Key performance indicators, baseline data and monitoring and evaluation systems for all climate change adaptation measures must be set up and updated in the Climate Action Plan. More importantly, the processes for planning and evaluation should take account of the principles of Just Transition to ensure engagement and dialogue with social groups in Hong Kong likely to be most affected by climate change and climate action plans.
  6. Last but not least, HKSAR Government should review their climate action plan and targets every year, aligning the decisions from the COP26. The evaluation reports for the whole Climate Action Plan must be disclosed every year, which are the main tools for public engagement and drivers for improvement of the new plan and its targets.

On the same day, CCIL launches the annual Paris Watch Hong Kong Report Card, which gives rating to HKSAR’s performance on climate actions in the past year, based on the averaged marks provided by a panel of leading climate change and renewable energy experts from the universities and environmental sector in Hong Kong. The overall rating of C minus echoes the findings from the Climate Action Report, indicating that planning without an ambition of keeping within 1.5°C warming limit, a sound methodology and robust targets will fail the climate action plan.

Mr. Chong Chan-yau, CEO of CarbonCare InnoLab, who led the Hong Kong civil society delegation to COP26, said, “Immediate action plans and more ambitious targets is the message from the nearly 40,000 delegates attending the COP26. Without these, Hong Kong’s current climate plans are at best a dangerous delay and at worst greenwash. The later the action, the steeper the drop, and the greater the distress.”

Click here for the Paris Watch “Hong Kong Climate Action Report 2021”: Here

Click here for the Paris Watch “Hong Kong Report Card”: Here


 
Apply Now