Tsang will walk to work on city’s first Carfree Day

Tsang will walk to work on city’s first Carfree Day – Martin Wong and Dan Kadison (SCMP 22/9/2009)

Donald Tsang Yam-kuen will walk to the office today and senior officials will use public transport to show their support for the fight against climate changes, as Hong Kong participates in its first World Carfree Day.

Greenpeace said at least 54 groups – including universities, companies such as HSBC, the Airport Authority and non – governmental bodies – had pledged to join the event, first organized in Europe in the 1990s.

“The initial response to the campaign is quite encouraging. We think the government officials’ participation set a role model to members of the public that we can keep our cars off the road,” Greenpeace campaigner Prentice Koo Wai-muk said.

While more than 17,000 people had signed up for the campaign, it was hard to estimate how many cars would be off the road or the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

“We really do not know how many of these people are drivers and how many of them use public transport.”

Tsang was expected to leave his car at home in Government House and walk the 500 metres to the government headquarters on Lower Albert Road. “Depending on security and other factors relating to his work, the chief executive will make appropriate arrangements,” a spokeswoman said when asked whether he would walk to work on other days,

Other senior officials will use public transport, but those living on The Peak, which would require a 30-minute walk to walk to work, will share a taxi. They include Chief Secretary Henry Tang Ying-yen and Secretary for Justice Wong Yan-lung. Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah will share a taxi with his wife and daughter.

Home Affairs Secretary Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor will walk from home to her office. “She will attend a number of functions and will use the MTR as far as possible,” a bureau spokesman said.

Environment Secretary Edward Yau Tang-wah also take the MTR.

The Transport Department, KMB, Citybus, New World First Bus and the MTR Corp said they would monitor the situation to see if more services needed to be added.

Greenpeace said Hong Kong was lagging other cities on arrangements for World Carfree Day. “In Taipei, for instance, it is like a carnival, and the government leads the campaign by arranging a lot of activities to boost the participation,” Koo said.

In Hong Kong, more than 90 per cent of the commuting public uses public transport on a regular basis.

The Civic Psrty urged the government to follow the example of Paris and Taipei by promoting the use of bicycles, such as by building more cycle paths, to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

The government is consulting the public over its air-quality objectives. The consultation will end on November 30.

CSL, one of the city’s mobile phone operators, said it would send a text message to its customers today urging them to support a campaign orgainised by environmental concern group the Clean Air Network by signing a petition calling for the government to clean up the air. The message will read: “You can breathe healthy air in HK only 41 days a year. Help us clean up air pollution, one signature at a time.”

2. Summary

Hong Kong held the first Carfree Day at 22nd Set, 09. The chief executive – Donald Tsang goes to office on foot and the senior officials use the public transport to support the campaign as well. At least 54 groups - -including universities, companies and non-governmental bodies, had ensured to join the activity. Most of people think that the government officials’ participation sets a role model to members of the public that it should keep the cars off the road. Greenpeace claimed that Hong Kong has lagged behind the other countries and cities that promote this arrangement.

3. Feedback

Hong Kong is an international city, but most of the campaigns are held later than the other international countries, such as Taiwan and France. But luckily, doing later is better than doing nothing. The government would try to set a role model to promote the campaign that it has shown they want to push Hong Kong more environmental friendly. Of course, many people think that this is just a show. A show is for the green sweater workers, residents and anti-government people. One “Carfree Day” does not help something actually! It is not really useful for the environment and reducing the carbon dioxide emissions! However, for me, it is enough to enhance the sense of protecting environment to public. The chief of Hong Kong supports the campaign and makes himself as an example. I believe that it can boost the participation and aid to launch the other campaigns in future.