Secretary for Economy and Finance, Lionel Leong (3rd right, front row) and Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo Rosário (2nd right, front row) tour the exhibition hall of 2015 MIECF
Environmental experts and practitioners have called for local governments to make new plans and take action in terms of transforming urban development patterns and energy use into a greener and cleaner fashion.
At the 8th Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (MIECF) yesterday, speakers at the forum stressed that policies, regulatory measures, and citizen participation are urgently needed to curb emissions and waste, reduce energy demands and consumption, and promote renewable technologies.
In the event’s keynote speech, former Norwegian Prime Minister, Ms Gro Harlem Brundtland, hailed as the “mother of sustainable development,” indicated that the current global development model is unsustainable and that we now urgently need to step up the pace of change.
“Here in the Pearl River Delta (PRD), we are in an emerging megacity of nearly 60 million people characterized by The World Bank as the largest urban area in the world, both in size and population. Development patterns in this region will indeed influence not just the millions living here, but the impact on a larger, global scale, for the future of humanity and its relationship with Planet Earth,” she told the audience.
The speaker cited the Chinese Ministry of Environment’s report, recognizing the PRD region as the most polluted area of the country, both for air and water. However, she added that 7 of the 10 cities that have the best air quality in China are located there.
“No doubt, there are great challenges, and clearly policies, such as those here in Macau, need to be put in place towards its already stated goal: ‘a green, low carbon city,’” she advised, adding that “public decision-making, governmental regulations and determination to direct the change we need [are] essential.”
Another speaker, João Marques da Cruz, from the EDP – Energias de Portugal provided statistical data to demonstrate that, environmental-wise, a lot remains to be done here: “The 2.5PM index in Macau is 150, which is very unhealthy [and] is mainly caused by transportation, pollution and can be avoided,” he said.
As for the solutions for the region’s poor air quality and urban environment, speakers suggested that much pollution could be avoided if transportation is made cleaner and more efficient. Meanwhile, construction sites need to be regulated for dust reduction, whereas hotels and restaurants could reduce emissions and waste. Moreover, experts indicated that the city’s power generation needs to be upgraded and decentralized, and people’s use of water and energy must be streamlined with the use of sustainable technologies.
According to Ms Brundtland, the world will need at least 45 percent more energy and 30 percent more water by 2030. Therefore, changes in development patterns, as well as the generation and use of waste and energy, are emphasized as a necessary and inevitable trend.
“We now need to undo old-fashioned policies that create the wrong incentives and keep us locked in unsustainable ways of doing business,” said Ms Brundtland. She then called for a subsidy reform, warning that subsidies for fossil fuels globally are six times higher than those directed towards renewable energy.
“The marketplace has to reflect the full ecological and human costs of economic decisions and establish price signals that make the consequences of both action and inaction transparent. This means: pollution, including carbon emissions, can no longer be free; subsidies should be made transparent and phased out for fossil fuels by 2020; we must build new ways to measure development beyond GDP,” she suggested.
The speaker further argued that the business now needs more government action to inspire innovation and sustainable solutions, which calls for public policies that can stimulate markets, remove barriers, level the playing field, and establish clear targets for renewable energy and energy efficiency.
mgm supports green week
For the sixth year running, MGM Macau has supported the “Macau Green Week” campaign, organized by IACM. Over 40 Golden Lion Team volunteers, led by MGM’s management team, participated in a “Tree Maintenance and Protection” program at Parque de Merendas da Barragem de Hác-Sá on March 18, in an effort to inform the public about environmental protection and to help nurture a fresher Macau under the theme of “Green City. Ideal Home.”
sands china takes part in earth hour initiative sc
Sands China Ltd. properties are supporting Earth Hour this March 28 by switching off exterior lights and non-essential indoor lights for one hour starting at 8:30 p.m. For the seventh consecutive year, the company is participating in the worldwide green initiative, which aims to raise global awareness of climate change by encouraging eco-conscious individuals, communities, households and businesses to switch off their lights for one hour.
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