Hong Kong’s Secretary for the Environment, Mr. Edward Yau visited San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento in January.

Secretary Yau spoke at two business luncheons hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco. In Los Angeles, Mr. Yau gave a keynote speech on “Hong Kong – facing up to an environmental challenge”. In Sacramento, he talked about Hong Kong’s efforts in tackling air pollution both locally and regionally. He also took the opportunity to brief the media on Hong Kong’s environmental action plan that focused on enhancing energy efficiency and promoting energy conservation.

During his stay, he exchanged views on environmental protection with the Lieutenant-Governor of California, Mr. John Garamendi and met with the Assistant General Manager of the Los Angeles Environmental Affairs Department, the Chair of the California Air Resources Board and professors of the Institute of the Environment at UCLA and was briefed on the city’s implementation of air pollution control programs and efforts in tackling climate change.

Mr. Yau also met with the think-tank experts and discussed measures to reduce regional air pollution as well as the impact of environmental concerns on business decisions.

On environmental protection and combating air pollution, Mr. Yau shared his views with the Secretary for the California Environmental Protection Agency, Ms Linda Adams. At another meeting with the Chair of California Energy Commission, Ms. Jackalyne Pfannenstiel briefed Mr. Yau on California initiatives to promote the use of renewable energy, while Secretary Yau shared his experiences in the development of the Electricity Market in Hong Kong, linking the permitted rate of return of the power companies to their emission caps to provide them with further incentives to reduce emissions and to improve air qualities.