Hong Kong and Guangdong strengthen co-operation in cleaner production to improve regional environmental quality (with photos)

     The Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Department of Industry and Information Technology of Guangdong Province (GDDIIT) today (October 31) convened the 11th meeting of the Hong Kong-Guangdong Joint Working Group on Cleaner Production (JWGCP) in Hong Kong. An award presentation ceremony for the Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners Recognition Scheme was also held to commend the efforts of over 210 enterprises in pursuing cleaner production.
      
     The 11th meeting of the JWGCP was co-chaired by the Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the HKSAR Government, Mr Tse Chin-wan, and the Director-General of the GDDIIT, Mr Tu Gaokun. The meeting reviewed the work progress in 2024 and approved the 2025 work plan. Governments of both Hong Kong and Guangdong will continuously promote the adoption of cleaner production technologies in energy-intensive industries for saving energy and the development of energy-saving equipment; support water-intensive industries to apply water-saving technological upgrades to reduce and control wastewater discharge; promote enterprises to adopt relevant technologies to reduce solid waste and emissions, including controlling and reducing volatile organic compounds emissions at source; encourage polluting industries to undertake cleaner production audits; and support enterprises to pursue green transformation. Both sides will also continue to implement various publicity activities to promote the effectiveness of cleaner production to the industry.
      
     The meeting was attended by representatives of the EEB, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD), the Trade and Industry Department, the Innovation and Technology Commission and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong of the HKSAR Government. On the Guangdong side, representatives of the GDDIIT and the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province attended the meeting.
      
     After the meeting, the 2024 award presentation ceremony for the Scheme was held to commend enterprises that have diligently pursued cleaner production. This year, a total of 215 enterprises were commended as Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners. Of these, 42 Hong Kong-owned manufacturing enterprises were commended as "Excellent Partners" of the Scheme while 149 were commended as "Partners". Other commended enterprises included three sourcing enterprises and 21 environmental technology service providers.
      
     The EPD of the HKSAR Government, in collaboration with the GDDIIT, launched the Cleaner Production Partnership Programme (the Programme) in 2008. To date, the Programme has provided funding support for more than 4 200 applications, aiming to promote the adoption of cleaner production technologies and practices by Hong Kong-owned factories in the region. To commend the dedicated efforts taken by the enterprises in pursing cleaner production, Guangdong and Hong Kong jointly launched the Scheme in 2009 to recognise enterprises adopting cleaner production as Hong Kong-Guangdong Cleaner Production Partners.
      
     Cleaner production has brought remarkable benefits in improving the environmental quality, and the Chief Executive announced in his 2024 Policy Address that $100 million would be injected to launch a new round of the Programme for the application period from April 2025 to June 2027. The new round of the Programme will strengthen support and encourage Hong Kong-owned factories in Hong Kong and Guangdong Province to adopt cleaner production technologies and practices, transform and upgrade traditional industries with the adoption of green technologies to achieve energy saving, emission reduction, consumption and carbon emission reduction, thereby improving the regional environment and helping achieve the carbon neutrality targets of the country and Hong Kong.
      
     Details of the Programme and the Scheme are available on the dedicated website of cleaner production: www.cleanerproduction.hk.