Mr. FONG Kin Wa, JP
Assistant Director (Air Quality Management)
Environment Protection Department
(E-mail: kwfong@epd.gov.hk)
Green Power, a local charitable green group, has been monitoring the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) and the previous Air Pollution Index (API) data for over two decades. Enclosed with this letter is a brief report produced by Green Power regarding our AQHI analyses, i.e. A Brief Review of AQHI Data of Hong Kong for 2024.
From the past AQHI statistics provided by EPD for 15 General Air Quality Monitoring Stations (General Stations) during 2014-2024 (Table 1), both the total number of HR hours (hourly AQHI ≥7) and HR days (daily maximum AQHI ≥7) decreased from their top levels in 2014 and fluctuated considerably until 2020. The range of variation narrowed and kept at a lower level during 2021 to 2024 (Figure 1). Such trend in the past eleven years revealed that the health risk of the public associated with air pollution has been moderated in recent years and was also concurred by the lowest records of AQHI = 10+ in 2024.
In 2024, the top three districts in terms of total number of HR days (daily maximum AQHI ≥7) were all situated in the northern part of the New Territories (NT), namely Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tung Chung (Table 1). Regarding the number of hours recorded AQHI reaching 10+, Yuen Long, Tuen Mun and Tung Chung were also the top three. The Administration should study the health risk associated with air quality in New Development Areas (NDAs)(1) in the NT such as the Northern Metropolis(2) during planning stage to maintain the sustainability of NDAs and protect the health of residents. More proactive measures should be introduced in addition to the proposed Environmentally Friendly Transport Services (EFTS).
Under climate change, the association of HR days with hot weather became more obvious in recent years. Hot weather condition favours the formation of ozone in the South China that attributed to most of the PHR in HR days in Hong Kong.
We appreciate that the policies, legislations and measures having undertaken by the Administration improved the local air quality significantly. However, district concerns, especially for NDAs, and effect of climate change on air quality are still outstanding. The Administration should focus on reducing the precursors of ozone, i.e. nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds, and combating the physical conditions in favour of ozone formation, e.g. prolonged hot and dry weather.
For any queries, please contact the undersigned at Green Power (T: 3961 0200, Fax: 2314 2661, Email: info@greenpower.org.hk)
Thank you very much for your kind attention. I look forward to the Administration’s policies to further relieve the health risk of the public associated with air quality.
Green Power, a local charitable green group, has been monitoring the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) and the previous Air Pollution Index (API) data for over two decades. Enclosed with this letter is a brief report produced by Green Power regarding our AQHI analyses, i.e. A Brief Review of AQHI Data of Hong Kong for 2024.
From the past AQHI statistics provided by EPD for 15 General Air Quality Monitoring Stations (General Stations) during 2014-2024 (Table 1), both the total number of HR hours (hourly AQHI ≥7) and HR days (daily maximum AQHI ≥7) decreased from their top levels in 2014 and fluctuated considerably until 2020. The range of variation narrowed and kept at a lower level during 2021 to 2024 (Figure 1). Such trend in the past eleven years revealed that the health risk of the public associated with air pollution has been moderated in recent years and was also concurred by the lowest records of AQHI = 10+ in 2024.
In 2024, the top three districts in terms of total number of HR days (daily maximum AQHI ≥7) were all situated in the northern part of the New Territories (NT), namely Tuen Mun, Yuen Long and Tung Chung (Table 1). Regarding the number of hours recorded AQHI reaching 10+, Yuen Long, Tuen Mun and Tung Chung were also the top three. The Administration should study the health risk associated with air quality in New Development Areas (NDAs)(1) in the NT such as the Northern Metropolis(2) during planning stage to maintain the sustainability of NDAs and protect the health of residents. More proactive measures should be introduced in addition to the proposed Environmentally Friendly Transport Services (EFTS).
Under climate change, the association of HR days with hot weather became more obvious in recent years. Hot weather condition favours the formation of ozone in the South China that attributed to most of the PHR in HR days in Hong Kong.
We appreciate that the policies, legislations and measures having undertaken by the Administration improved the local air quality significantly. However, district concerns, especially for NDAs, and effect of climate change on air quality are still outstanding. The Administration should focus on reducing the precursors of ozone, i.e. nitrogen dioxide and volatile organic compounds, and combating the physical conditions in favour of ozone formation, e.g. prolonged hot and dry weather.
For any queries, please contact the undersigned at Green Power (T: 3961 0200, Fax: 2314 2661, Email: info@greenpower.org.hk)
Thank you very much for your kind attention. I look forward to the Administration’s policies to further relieve the health risk of the public associated with air quality.
Yours faithfully,
CHENG Luk Ki
Director, GREEN POWER
Yours faithfully,
CHENG Luk Ki
Director, GREEN POWER
Encl.
A Brief Review of AQHI Data of Hong Kong for 2024
(1) Tung Chung New Town Extension: https://www.tung-chung.hk/about.php
Proposed Comprehensive Residential and Commercial Development atop Siu Ho Wan Depot, TPB Paper No. 10483 (2018), Draft Siu Ho Wan Outline Zoning Plan No. I/S-SHW/1: https://www.info.gov.hk/tpb/en/papers/TPB/SKIs/R_S_I-SHW_1/R_S_I-SHW_1_MainPaper.pdf
Hung Shui Kui/Ha Tsuen New Development Area: https://hskhtnda.hk/en/planning-overview/
Housing Sites in Yuen Long South: http://www.yuenlongsouth.hk/links/stage3_digest.pdf
Land Use Review of Kam Tin South and Pat Heung, TPB Paper No. 9590 (2014): https://www.info.gov.hk/tpb/en/papers/TPB/1056-tpb_9590.pdf
(2) Northern Metropolis Development Strategy Report (6 Oct 2021), p.76: https://www.policyaddress.gov.hk/2021/eng/pdf/publications/Northern/Northern-Metropolis-Development-Strategy-Report.pdf