Hong Kong Industrialist Aug Oct 2021

In the post COVID-19 era, various international organisations including the United Nations, IMF and World Bank have joined hand to call for a “green recovery” in reviving the global economy. In fact, major economies have already introduced strategies to direct economic activities towards low carbon, more eco-friendly and sustainable development, leading to a new wave of industrial advancement and green technology breakthrough. Last year, the Hong Kong government has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality in 2050 with enhancing the local circular economy as one of the major goals. This year, the Government announced the “Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035, the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles” and the “Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong 2035”, outlining long-term strategy and targets for developing the circular economy and environmental industries in Hong Kong. Besides, the Government has set up a HK$200 million Green Tech Fund to provide subsidies for R&D project on green technology and promote the application of innovative technology locally. Such public investment is expected to create thousands of jobs in the coming years in the environmental industry. Under this backdrop, it is now an opportune time for the local manufacturers to pursue further on recycling and environmental industries, with the aim to enhance the capability and capacity to convert waste-to-resources locally to achieve zero landfill in the long run. Recyclers are also encouraged to synergise with other manufacturing sectors to produce raw materials from waste for supplying to the mass manufacturing base in the Greater Bay Area, forming a regional circular economy. The Council fully supports the industry to invest into the R&D and application of innovative green technology and cultivate young talents for Hong Kong’s development of high value-added recycling and environmental industries. We envision the industry to inject new impetus to the local economy and play a pivotal role in achieving the target of carbon neutrality by 2050 together with the Government and various stakeholders. 隨著新冠肺炎疫情對經濟造成嚴重打擊，聯 合國、IMF、世界銀行等多個國際組織共同呼 籲「綠色復甦」，推動疫後經濟發展。多國政 府響應，推動經濟向綠色低碳及可持續發展 轉型，將會帶領新一輪產業革新和科研突破。 香港政府於去年宣布以2050年碳中和為環 保政策目標，並致力完善本地資源循環鏈。 今年，政府先後公布《香港資源循環藍圖 2035》、《香港電動車普及化路線圖》及《香 港清新空氣藍圖2035》，對本地建設循環經 濟、策動綠色工業訂下長遠計劃。此外， 政府亦撥款2億港元成立「低碳綠色科研基 金」，為環保科研項目提供資助，以推廣環保 創新科技的應用。整體而言，政府投放在環 保行業的資源可在未來幾年創造數千個就業 機會。 在政策支持之下，本地業界應藉此機會參與 在回收再造、廢物處理等工業，提升本地轉 廢為材的能力和容量，助香港邁向零廢堆填 的長遠目標。回收業界亦可探討與其他製造 行業協作，將廢物再造成工業原材料，供予 大灣區龐大的製造業基地，形成區域性的資 源循環。協會將全力支持環保工業界，投資 創新綠色科技的研發及應用，並與院校合作 培訓人才，助香港發展高增值的回收及環保 工業，不但成為經濟動力，亦與政府及各界 一同實踐2050碳中和的願景。 Chairman: Jude Chow 主席:周治平 | Vice-Chairman: Simon Cheung 副主席:張國全 Environmental Industries Council 環境工業協會 GROUP 26 分組 第 8-10/2021 | 83