"Green" taxes : making Hong Kong a cleaner and greener city

Hong Kong, a compact city with a population of nearly seven million, has undergone remarkable economic growth over the past few decades. At the same time, however, the city has developed severe environmental problems. For several reasons, including the increasing population and number of motor vehicles, the air quality has declined significantly and the temperature has gradually increased. According to the Hong Kong Observatory, the average temperature in Hong Kong rose at a rate of 0.34°C per decade from 1989 to 2007, resulting in an increase in ill health, for example skin cancer and respiratory diseases, amongst the population. Additionally, Hong Kong has seen its waste loads rise as its economy grows. The per capita level of municipal solid waste disposal rose from 1.28 kg per person per day in 1991 to 1.36 kg in 2007. At this rate, it is expected that by 2015 Hong Kong's landfills will be exhausted.