Air pollution
Air pollution is a major problem in both Hong Kong and Macau. Indeed, both cities suffer not only from their own industries, but also from the megacities of mainland China, particularly Shenzhen, a city of 12 million inhabitants adjacent to Hong Kong. It is estimated that around half of Hong Kong's air pollution comes from sources outside the territory. Although the entire region was heavily industrialized in the 1980s and 1990s, the situation was most serious in the early 2000s, when both Hong Kong and Macau were frequently bathed in a cloud of pollution known as smog. According to the Hong Kong Observatory, in 2004, visibility was reduced 18% of the time. In the same year, the territory suffered at least 4,000 deaths linked to poor air quality, a record which adds to the numerous hospitalizations and respiratory illnesses such as asthma. In addition to emissions from factories, vehicle exhaust fumes from an excessively dense population are also degrading local air quality. Ship emissions are also in the dock, as a 2021 study by the NGO Clean Air Network found that 385 deaths a year in Hong Kong were directly attributable to air degradation caused by ships.
In March 2013, the government published the Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong, which introduced several measures to improve air quality and will be renewed in 2035. In particular, the program has banked on the introduction of private electric vehicles in the territory, but also on the conversion of the cab and bus fleet to cleaner fuels. From now on, ships must also use low-sulphur fuels. Thanks to these measures, levels of certain pollutants in the air have been reduced by 40-50% between 2010 and 2020. Several awareness-raising campaigns also take place regularly, notably to encourage the population to use public transport as much as possible. As a result, according to air quality analysis agency IQAir, Hong Kong has dropped out of the top 50 countries with the most polluted air in the world. By 2023, it will rank 68th, while Macau will be 64th.
Water pollution
Both Hong Kong and Macau suffer from a major water pollution problem. At its source is the fact that large quantities of wastewater and other industrial sewage sludge are discharged directly into the South China Sea. As a result, it is not advisable to eat fish from these sources, although this is becoming less and less the case as fishermen are now obliged to travel far from the coast to fill their nets. As for swimming, every 15 days the government publishes a report on water quality analyses for the general public on theEnvironmental Protection Department website.
Waste management
Waste management is one of the most significant challenges facing Hong Kong and, to a lesser extent, Macau. Every year, Hong Kong produces around 5 million tonnes of solid waste, and Macau 500,000 tonnes. These figures tend to increase as the population multiplies, but also because of new consumer habits where home deliveries are legion.
Hong Kong intends to take strong measures to address the problem, and in 2021 adopted the Waste Blueprint for Hong Kong 2035: various actions programmed up to 2035. The aim is to reduce per capita household waste production by at least 40% by then. To solve the problem at source, the government implemented a new solution in 2024: a household waste pricing system aimed at reducing waste production. Residents will be taxed according to the amount of waste they produce. In 2020, as part of the program, Hong Kong's Environmental Protection Department also introduced a new waste collection system, comprising 133 collection stations, some of which are dedicated to recycling.
In Macau, for the time being, the waste situation remains much more reasonable, but production is still increasing year on year. The territory favors incineration for treatment, as landfill is not an option in such a limited territory. However, incineration capacity is gradually reaching its limits, so organizing more sustainable waste management will soon be one of the major challenges facing the region.
Protected areas
Hong Kong is one of Asia's most protected countries, with over 40% of its surface area dedicated to protected areas. Wetland Park, for example, is a 60-hectare wetland that is home to numerous birds, insects and plants. Visitors can walk on platforms at water's edge, but also learn more about flora and fauna in an exhibition center. The Kadoorie Farm & Botanic Garden, meanwhile, was once a farming area, now converted into a biodiversity conservation park. It features tropical greenhouses, vegetable gardens where organic farming methods are studied, a deer park and a butterfly pavilion. But the city-state doesn't just protect its land, it also takes care of its waters, which are home to almost 6,000 species, or 25% of China's marine biodiversity, for an area that represents just 0.03% of its surface! The Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park, one of the country's oldest, was declared in 1996 and is of crucial importance, as 60 species of coral find refuge in this 260-hectare protected area.
Macau, on the other hand, has fewer protected areas, most of which are highly developed. Some sites, however, do work to protect species, such as the Panda Pavilion. This 3,000m2 wildlife park is home to giant pandas and other rare or endangered animals, and ensures their conservation.
