Hong Kong Orchestra Conductor Emigrates, Cites Pollution - QM2 Passengers Told "Stay On Board"

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Masset said there was a steady improvement in Hong Kong's air quality from the late 1990s, when diesel-fuelled taxis began being phased out and new rules were introduced on diesel for goods vehicles. But in recent years, he says, the situation has worsened dramatically, much of it due to power plants switching from natural gas to cheaper coal.

Across the border, China's rampant economic growth has resulted in a surge in demand for energy, and coal-burning plants that were once closed down for environmental reasons are reopening -- although authorities in southern China are working to replace them with newer, cleaner facilities. Last year investment bank Merrill Lynch warned that poor air quality could prompt big companies to move to Singapore with expatriate workers unwilling to live here.

"The government in Hong Kong is relatively powerless to address the true causes until Beijing gets tough. It could be a long and choking wait that many could choose not to endure," it said. The conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic has moved his young family to the United States citing concerns over pollution, while an onboard lecturer on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship visiting the city triggered a storm by advising passengers not to go ashore.

"It is no longer necessary today, as it still was last year, to argue that air quality is a serious issue for Hong Kong," said US Consul General James B Cunningham in a speech to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

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http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Beijing_Chokes_On_Illegal_Straw_Burning_While_Hong_Kong_Waters_Drown_In_Rubbish_999.html

on the south side of the island, known for its gorgeous beaches. Saw a computer screen in Deep Water Bay yesterday...unreal. Hong Kong is one of the greatest and most beautiful cities in the world; its quality of life is well worth defending.

Thanks for posting.