Guest Comments by Kwong Sun Yin
Editor’s Note: The writer is campaign manager for the Clean Air Network in Hong Kong.
HONG KONG -- We applaud the introduction of proposed legislation against engine idling, although it’s long overdue and has many shortfalls.
Some green groups and politicians say it’s a waste of political capital to win passage of this bill. But we believe that since roadside emissions pose the biggest threat to human health, this initiative deserves support.
Hong Kong people constantly complain that there’s nothing we can do to improve air quality because pollution comes from Southern China. We rebut this with evidence that roadside emissions pose the greatest threat to human health.
The proposed legislation goes to the heart of the matter. It reduces roadside emissions within our borders and our control. Clamping down on idling engines is “the lowest-hanging fruit” among measures to make an immediate, direct difference.
Yes, the devil is in the details. Some people say the benefits may be meager, but why not remedy that with tougher enforcement beyond issuing police tickets? The government needs a plan like the smoky-vehicle-spotter program by which trained citizens report vehicles that spew extra-dirty tailpipe emissions. About 1,000 active spotters report 10,000 smoky vehicles per year, a big help versus emissions by the city’s 110,000 diesel vehicles.
A similar reporting scheme could be devised for engine idling. Then enforcement would be more widespread with stronger results. Hong Kong people could engage more actively to solve the city’s biggest public-health problem.
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Traffic flows on another smoggy day.
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