Climate change is a challenge faced by everyone in the world. Extreme weather and higher temperatures, along with melting ice sheets and rising sea level, are clear evidence of accelerating climate change which is impacting on our daily life. The Paris Agreement adopted in the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in December 2015 is a crucial step in forging global efforts in combating climate change, pledging to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Hong Kong, China must ready itself for making greater effort and acting conscientiously, collectively and with urgency.
Promoting energy saving is a linchpin of our efforts in combating climate change. In Hong Kong, China, buildings account for about 90% of our electricity consumption, representing over 60% of greenhouse gas emissions. As the community plays an indispensable role when it comes to energy conservation, we will be launching an Energy Saving Charter in June 2016 to foster close partnership among the Government, business sector and non-governmental organisations for a community-wide sector specific campaign to save energy.
Since 2012, we have stepped up efforts in energy conservation by expanding the Charter scheme to other sectors. During June to September 2015, more than 3,000 premises of participating organisations, including over 150 shopping malls, 260 office buildings, 620 shops, 1,200 offices, 420 residential buildings / housing estates and 360 premises of Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) signed up to the Charter.
This year, while appealing for the continuous support from shopping malls, office buildings, shops, offices, residential buildings / housing estates and premises of NGOs for making the same pledge, we would like to step up efforts in energy conservation by expanding the scope of the Charter and extending invitation to primary and secondary schools, and tertiary institutions for joining the Charter. Please visit the participants pages for details.
We would appreciate your support in the following respects for Energy Saving Charter 2016 with the scope:-
Please return us the completed reply slip or sign up here if your organisation would like to join the Charter.
Premises of participating organisations are encouraged to keep records of the routine temperature measurements for their future reference and review. We will carry out sample checking of indoor temperature for those premises participated in the Charter. If a premises was found failed to fulfill the temperature requirement, follow-up actions would be arranged with the participant for necessary improvements. We reserve the right to remove the concerned premises from the list of participants if the situation remains unchanged.