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4.12.   The AFCD[the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department] also continued to provide technical support to local farmers producing organic vegetables and fruits; the support related to, inter alia, organic production standards and greenhouse technology. There were 342 organic farms producing an estimated 6 tonnes of vegetables a day as of December 2022.

4.13.   The Sustainable Agricultural Development Fund (SADF), launched in December 2016, continues to provide financial support to encourage farm mechanization and implement agricultural development projects. (...)

4.19.   (...) In addition, the AFCD[the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department] provided several loans and grants, which were dispersed to fishers and fish farmers for production and sustainable development purposes. The loans and grants included the Fisheries Development Loan Fund (FDLF); Fish Marketing Organization Loan Fund (normal loan and fishing moratorium loan); Kadoorie Agriculture Aid Loan Fund; and the Sustainable Fisheries Development Fund (SFDF) (Table 4.2). (...)

4.20.   The AFCD[the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department] aims to encourage development of sustainable fisheries and designated 4 new Fish Culture Zones (FCZs) with a total domestic sea area of 590 ha (three times the total area of all the current FCZs). (...)

4.21.   On 21 August 2023, Hong Kong, China deposited its instrument of acceptance of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies (Section 2.3.1). The Agreement of Fisheries Subsidies restricts illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, bans support for fishing overfished stocks, and terminates subsidies for fishing on the unregulated high seas.

4.22.   In 2021, electricity, gas and water supply, and waste management accounted for around 1.3% of GDP (Table 1.1). (...)

4.23.   (...) The Environment Bureau was renamed the Environment and Ecology Bureau after the government reorganization in 2022. According to the authorities, the Bureau monitors prices and the strategic reserves of energy and formulate policies and targets relating to the future fuel mix for electricity generation having regard to the energy policy and climate change objectives.

4.24.   The authorities issued the ninth Technical Memorandums I in 2021 under the Air Pollution Control Ordinance (Cap. 311) to set the emission caps on three air pollutants (sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (Nox), and respirable suspended particulates (RSP)) for power plants for 2026 and beyond. Compared with the first TM, the emission allowances for power plants on SO2, Nox, and RSP under the ninth TM have been reduced by about 89%, 74%, and 71%, respectively. According to the authorities, Hong Kong, China has achieved the emission targets for 2020 (reducing emissions of SO2, Nox, and RSP by 55%, 20%, and 25%, respectively, compared with the 2010 levels).

4.25.   The inter-departmental Steering Committee on Climate Change and Carbon Neutrality formulates the overall strategy and oversees the coordination of various actions, while the Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development advises the Government on decarbonization strategies and promotes participation in deep decarbonization by different sectors of the community. Hong Kong, China has set a target to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050 and the interim decarbonization target to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% before 2035, as compared with the 2005 level. In October 2021, the Government launched the Climate Action Plan 2050, which lists four decarbonization strategies: net-zero electricity generation, energy saving and green buildings, green transport, and waste reduction.[21]
[21] Environment and Ecology Bureau (2021), Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050. Viewed at: https://cnsd.gov.hk/wp-content/uploads/pdf/CAP2050_booklet_en.pdf.

4.33.   During the review period, Hong Kong, China implemented renewable energy policies to address the challenges posed by climate change. In 2018, the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) Scheme (implemented by SCAs with CLP and HEC) was developed to encourage private-sector investment in renewable energy. In order to recover investment costs in renewable energy technology (such as wind and solar) by individuals, the scheme allows them to sell the renewable power they generated to power companies at a rate higher than the normal electricity tariff rate. [25] It is estimated that about 300 million kWh of electricity will be generated each year, which would be sufficient to meet the electricity demands of about 90,000 households.[26]
[25] In 2022, the FiT rates were HKD 4 per unit for RE systems of generating capacity up to 10 kW; HKD 3 per unit for renewable energy systems of generating capacity above 10 kW and up to 200 kW; and HKD 2.5 per unit for renewable energy systems of generating capacity above 200 kW and up to 1 MW. The Government of the Hong Kong, China, Feed-in Tariff. (...)
[26] Government of Hong Kong, China (2022), "Government Announces New Feed-in Tariff Rates and Introduces Facilitation Measures on Installation of Solar Photovoltaic Systems in Open Car Parks by Private Sector", 26 April. (...)