HK 'all charged up for carbon neutrality by 2050'

Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan reaffirmed on Monday Hong Kong’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality before 2050. Speaking at a summit during the Hong Kong Climate Week 2026, he outlined some key developments in the city's efforts to reduce emissions. “On promoting green transport, seven out of 10 newly registered private cars are now electric," Tse said. "We are developing a public charging network based on super-fast charging technologies. And Hong Kong's first EV battery recycling facility will come into operation this year. “To achieve zero landfilling, we have reduced waste disposal by 10 percent and increased recycling quantities by 30 percent. The first waste-to-energy facility is already in operation. And the second one is being tendered for completion by 2030.” At the same event, Liu Yang, a deputy director-general at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, stressed that the Chinese government had taken steadfast action and contributed to green and low-carbon development. She added that Hong Kong had a lot to offer in the global fight against climate change. “Hong Kong is an international financial and trade centre with a mature and stable financial system and has a legal environment aligned with international standards, as well as a highly open market mechanism,” she said. “There is so much to be done in areas such as aligning climate investment and innovative standards and promoting international co-operation on climate governance.” The Hong Kong Climate Week 2026 will conclude on Wednesday. Edited by Tony Sabine