The Government today published a technical memorandum in the Gazette with the aim of further reducing the emission allowances of air pollutants for power plants from 2030 onwards, thereby improving the air quality in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region.

Issued under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance, the Tenth Technical Memorandum for Allocation of Emission Allowances in Respect of Specified Licences (the Tenth TM) reduces the annual emission allowances of sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and respirable suspended particulates (RSPs) from the electricity sector from 2030 onwards at 2,302 tonnes, 8,350 tonnes and 317 tonnes respectively.

The Environment & Ecology Bureau said it represents further tightening by 19%, 25% and 14% respectively when compared with the emission allowances for the electricity sector for 2026 set under the Ninth TM.

The Tenth TM will be tabled at the Legislative Council on June 4 for commencement by the end of 2025.

In accordance with the ordinance, the new set of emission allowances will come into effect on January 1, 2030.

The bureau said it has taken into account various factors in setting the new emission allowances.

Such factors include local electricity demand, the gas-fired electricity generation of the two power companies, the emission performance of existing generating units, the estimated import of nuclear power and clean energy, and the projected electricity intake from renewable energy sources.

The Government has also been requiring the two power companies to adopt the best practicable means in their plants' design and operational management to minimise emissions of air pollutants, the bureau added.

Hong Kong's air quality has been improving continuously in recent years.

The ambient concentrations of SO2, nitrogen dioxide and RSPs recorded in 2024 had been reduced by 45% to 88% when compared with that in 2004.

The number of hours of reduced visibility observed had also been greatly reduced by 82% from its peak in 2004.

As emissions from the electricity sector accounted for 61%, 27% and 13% of the territory-wide emissions of SO2, NOx and RSPs respectively in 2022, the tightened emission allowances for power plants will help further improve the air quality in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta region.

The bureau said it will review the technical memorandum again not later than 2027 to ensure timely revision of the emission allowances.