Hong Sir

Regular Plan B

95 / (2014 1 ) Oil: International crude oil price:

USD$95/barrel (January 2014)
2013 62 2013: Pipeline explosion in Qingdao, 62
people died
250 Iraq produces 2.5 million barrels of crude oil per
day 150 Libya produces 1.5 million barrels of crude oil
per day

(/)->->(
)->->->->->
Petrol cars emit exhaust gases (carbon monoxide / hydrocarbon) Environmental
pollution Damage to human health (respiratory diseases) Introduce electric
vehicles No pollutants emitted Protect the environment Protect human
health Improve the quality of life
Electric taxis improve Hong Kongs air
quality to a small extent
(1) Taxis account for a small proportion of vehicles
(2) Cross-border pollution and
power plant pollution are the main causes of air pollution in Hong Kong
(3) / High prices / insufficient facilities
make electric taxis remain unpopular
(4)
54%
It is said that electric taxis do not emit exhaust gases
which help improve air quality. But we should note that electric vehicles are
driven by electricity. In Hong Kong, 54% of electricity is generated by burning
coal. Exhaust gases are still emitted, not from vehicles, but power plants

 Electric taxis improve Hong Kongs air

quality to a large extent
(1) ->-> Electric taxis Reduce exhaust gas
emissions Improve air quality
(2) ->->->
Successful promotion of electric taxis Help promote electrification of
other vehicles Reduce exhaust gas emissions Improve air quality
(3) ->/->->->
-> Electric taxis Arouse public discussion /
concerns Raise public awareness of environmental protection Public
participation in energy conservation Reduce power consumption Improve
air quality
(4)
It is said that electric
taxis are still driven by electricity and exhaust gases are emitted from power
plants when generating electricity. But we should note that there are adequate
environmental protection facilities in power plants which make them emit
fewer exhaust gases than LPG(Liquefied petroleum gas) taxi
Roles of different stakeholders
(1) Government:
policy maker, monitor, funder, policy propagator, coordinator
(2) Enterprises: researcher, funder, tax payer
(3) / Citizen: Monitor,
commentator, policy / law performer, tax payer
(4)
Non-governmental organizations: monitor, technology researcher, publicity
agent, protestor, commentator

Hong Sir

Regular Plan B

10% Power
shortage in China: The electricity demand is higher than the supply by 10%.
Provinces in serious power shortage: Guangdong, Fujian
There is intermittent power
supply in industrial areas, e.g. having three days power cut and four days power
supply in a week Diesel generators
are installed in factories, causing more serious air pollution
1/20000 Nuclear
power generation needs only 1/20,000 of the raw materials coal-fired power
generation requires. Transport costs are low and it is less polluting.
0.6 0.4 2 1 0.35
Power generation costs: coal-fired power $0.6, nuclear power $0.4, solar power $2,
wind power $1, hydro power $0.35

Greenpeace: Advocates global anti-nuclear activities, e.g. blocks the railway to stop
the nuclear waste transportation from the Netherlands and Germany to France
Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant
2022
(2012 ) Nuclear power development: Countries
reviewed the development of nuclear power. Germany has retired all nuclear
power plants from use until 2022. China suspended approvals of nuclear power
projects and is having a more comprehensive monitor over nuclear power plants.
(In 2012, China resumed such approvals.)
2013 10
3000 The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal has started
operation in 2013. Cruises with displacement of 100 thousand tons can be berthed
there. However, the fuels of cruises are in poor quality and emit 3,000 times more
exhaust gases than vehicles 250
Lamma Winds: The power generated can support 250 families for their
3

annual uses
54%23%23%() Power generation
in Hong Kong: 54% coal fuel, 23% natural gas and 23% nuclear power (Daya Bay
Nuclear Power Plant)
Impacts of fog and haze in China
2013 12 6 1/4 PM2.5
2.5 Fog and haze affected 12 provinces,
600 million people and 1/4 of land in China in 2013. PM2.5 refers to suspended
particles with a diameter less than 2.5microns. It causes diseases such as asthma
and lung cancer
(1)
5 Public health: Fog and haze causes respiratory diseases and lung
cancer. Since the reform and opening up, the rate of having lung cancer
increases 5 times in China
(2) 100 Traffic
safety: Low visibility affects road and sea transport. 100 flights were cancelled
in Shanghai in one day
(3) / Economic
losses: Fewer domestic and foreign tourists means less consumption. Foreign
professionals / companies withdraw from China
(4) // Social
stability: People complain industrialists / car owners / the government. There is
more discontent in the society, undermining social harmony
(5)
National image: The US, Korea, Japan and Taiwan are
discontented with China as the fog and haze also affect them. China has
become the source of pollution and this damages its national image
(6)
International cooperation: Countries understand that
air pollution is an international problem. The US Environmental Protection
Agency sent its Administrator to China to discuss how to cooperate and deal
with pollution problems
(7)
Environmental awareness: China has a review on its relentless pursuit of
economic development and the people are more aware of diseases and
pollution
4

() Analysis of stakeholders regarding

environmental issues: (factors to be considered)
(1) (/
) Hong Kong government: fiscal burden of government, feasibility
of policies, government image, economic status (foreign investments / visitors),
medical burden
(2) The Central Government:
Integration between Hong Kong and China, financial condition of the Central
Government, state image
(3) Political parties: degree of support
for the party, party image, relations with the government
(4) Non-governmental
organizations: environmental conservation, sustainable development,
biodiversity
(5) () Enterprises: operating costs,
corporate image, economic benefits (environmental industry)
(6) Citizens: financial burden,
quality of Life, employment opportunities, physical condition

() Impacts of the nuclear disaster in Japan:

(Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant)
(1) 300 20
Public health: Although there were no direct deaths, 300 people were
contaminated by radiation and the area within 20 km became not suitable for
living
(2) /// 10
GDP3% Economic losses: reduced exports / reduced
visitors / compensated victims / halted industrial and commercial productions,
causing economic losses of 10,000 billion which accounted for 3% of the GDP
(3)
National image: Japan discharged
radiation sewage directly into the sea, affecting the marine ecology. China,
Korea and Taiwan were dissatisfied with such action. Food safety problems in
Japan threatened many countries
(4) 2022
(2012 )
Nuclear power development: Countries reviewed the development of nuclear
power. Germany has retired all nuclear power plants from use until 2022. China
suspended approvals of nuclear power projects and is having a more
comprehensive monitor over nuclear power plants. (In 2012, China resumed
such approvals.)
(5) 50
Environmental impacts: In the nearby area of nuclear power
plants, trees, sea water, and crops were contaminated. It has become not
suitable for human habitation and farming within 50 years

 () B

()

200
MyCar 2010

()
() Secondly, the government played
the role as a sponsor (thesis statement). According to Source B, the government had
subsidized the automotive parts companies to initiate various researches on car
battery and charging facilities. It was also considering the feasibility of providing
allowances to the people to buy electric vehicles (cite the source). The development
of electric vehicles in Hong Kong is actually in the primary stage. The technologies are
still in the low level, for example, the battery does not have enough storage capacity
so electric vehicles are not able to keep driving. The government thus provides
subsidies to the universities and corporations to conduct research on electric vehicles,
for example, the Innovation and Technology Commission allocated funds of two
million dollars to the Hong Kong Polytechnic University to develop MyCar.
Moreover, as the price of electric vehicles is high, the government introduced the
Pilot Green Transport Fund in 2010 as to provide subsidies to the people who worked
in the transportation sector if they bought green cars. It is also considering the
feasibility of subsidizing the Hong Kong citizens to buy electric vehicles as to attract
them to choose electric vehicles with low price (explain the argument). Therefore,
the government played the role as a sponsor as it actively provided subsidies to
conduct research on electric vehicles as well as to the citizens to buy electric vehicles
(short conclusion)