Clear The Air Hong Kong - 爭氣行動

Important facts to keep in mind about Hong Kong air pollution :

• 53% of the time, Hong Kong air pollution is generated locally by coal fired power plants, old diesel trucks and ships..
• It is hard to imagine reducing air pollution without adopting a comprehensive energy policy leading to electricity saving, opening up the grid to competition, and encouraging the use of renewable energies.
• The planned Macau-Zhuhai-HongKong  bridge is likely to increase air pollution further and deteriorate our environment.
• Examples overseas show there is no contradiction between a prosperous society and care for its environment.

We now need to support a low-carbon economy.

有關香港空氣污染的重要信息：

• 本地污染源（燒煤的發電廠，陳舊的柴油車輛和船隻） 作為香港空氣污染主要原兇的日數，達到每年192日
• 要減低空氣污染，我們必須採納一套完整的能源政策，以達到節約用電、開放供電市場引入競爭、鼓勵再生能源等效果。
• 計劃中的港珠澳大橋將會令空氣污染和環境損害加劇。
• 外國經驗表明了經濟繁榮跟環保之間並無矛盾

我們現在就需要建立一個低碳經濟

Welcome to Clear The Air - 歡迎加入爭氣行動

Clear the Air is a volunteer group, entirely supported by individual membership fees and member donations. Registered as a Society on the 10th of December, 1997, in response to increasing air pollution, we are committed to the introduction and implementation of measures to significantly reduce air pollution in Hong Kong.

針對日益嚴重的空氣污染問題，爭氣行動於1997年成立。 我們致力於引進以及推動各項能顯著減少香港的空氣污染的措施。爭氣行動是一個正式在香港註冊的志願組織。 經費完全來自會員年費和會員捐助。

Our dedicated volunteers strive towards a cleaner Hong Kong by:

• Promoting strong, focused community support for air pollution control measures
• Working with government and stakeholders to find practical solutions
• Educating the public on the importance of air pollution to their own health and wealth
• Providing a platform for the local community to take action

我們的志願者致力於透過以下途徑為香港爭取清新的空氣：

• 推動公眾對控制空氣污染的措施的支持
• 與政府以及業界合作尋找實際的解決方案
• 教育公眾認識空氣污染對他們的健康以及財富帶來的負面影響
• 為市民採取行動提供一個平台

Air pollution seriously threatens the public health, and economic and social well being of all residents of Hong Kong. Many districts in Hong Kong are failing to meet statutory health standards for air quality, and the associated health costs to individuals, businesses and society are estimated to cost billions of dollars each year.

空氣污染嚴重威脅所有香港市民的健康，並對市民的經濟和社會福祉帶來負面的影響。香港的許多區域的空氣質量都達不到法定的標準。 空氣污染導致的、需要由個人、企業和社會承擔的醫療成本估計每年達數十億港元。

Government projections indicate that air quality will substantially deteriorate in future years largely due to growth in traffic in Hong Kong and in the Pearl River region. Experience in many other parts of the world has proved that this threat can be successfully reduced through appropriate planning and investment to maintain the health and wealth of the region.

政府的預測顯示空氣質量將會在未來幾年因為香港和珠江三角洲之間的交通流量增加而大幅度地惡化。 世界各國的經驗已證明上述威脅可以透過恰當的規划和投資（維持地區健康與財富之間的平衡）來減低。

To achieve our purpose we need your support. When it comes to breathing we don't have a choice.

為達目標，我們需要你的支持。我們能選擇呼吸甚麼樣的空氣嗎？

Hong Kong Air Pollution Index - 香港空氣污染指數

The current Hong Kong Air Pollution Index (API) is calculated based on the 20-year-old Air Quality Objectives (AQO) . These objectives are outdated and hence too loose. That means, by issuing the API every day on the news, the Hong Kong government is not giving us the most up to date health advice. Worse still, town planning decisions are being made based on these loose objectives. As a result, we breath in more polluted air as we are surrounded by construction projects which have little regard to their negative impact on air quality.

香港現行的空氣污染指數是基於已沿用超過二十年的空氣質素指標計算出來的。 有關指標已經過時並因而太寬松。 換句話說，香港政府每天公報的空氣污染指數並沒有給市民提供最適時的健康忠告。 更甚者，由於城市規划的決定亦基於這些寬松的空氣質素指標作出，沒有顧及對空氣帶來負面影響的工程將我們重重包圍，我們被逼上吸入更多的廢氣。

The Government should revise the outdated AQO and immediately adopt the WHO air quality guidelines (AQGs) as the new standard. The WHO AQGs are based on the now extensive body of scientific evidence relating to air pollution and its health consequences. Only by doing so can we properly protect ourselves and our children from air pollution.

香港政府應該修訂已過時的空氣質素指標並立即採用世界衛生組織的空氣質量准則作為新的標準。 世界衛生組織的空氣質量准則是基於廣泛的有關空氣污染以及其對健康影響的科學證據制定。 只有這樣做我們才能保護我們以及我們的孩子免受污染空氣帶來的禍害。

Hedley Environmental Index

The Hedley Environmental Index is designed to monitor and publish in real-time the level of air quality and the economic costs of Hong Kong’s air pollution in terms of its public health impact and monetary value.

The Index has two functions:

1. The Air Quality Tracker plots against the WorldHealth Organization’s Air Quality Guidelines the real-time concentrations of four important air pollutants (PM10, NO2, SO2 and O3) measured by the Environmental Protection Department. It facilitates the graphical presentation of a historical series for each pollutant with an adjustable timeframe.
2. The Hedley Environmental Index uses the data on air pollutants and public health statistics to estimate the daily burden of doctor visits, hospital admissions and deaths, and the associated monetary value on the Hong Kong community.

By showing the external costs of air pollution for the whole community, we can demonstrate the benefits that would result from air quality improvement.