The Hong Kong government has been urged to strengthen its policies to tackle the climate crisis following a key advisory ruling by the United Nations’ top court last week.
During some seven months of deliberation, 15 judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) were tasked with considering the “obligations of states in respect to climate change.”
According to the landmark ruling, countries are legally bound to reduce their emissions, as well as compensate those affected by the climate crisis. It asserted that there was an “urgent and existential threat” to humanity, with greenhouse gas emissions “unequivocally” caused by human activity.
“The consequences of climate change are severe and far-reaching. They affect both natural ecosystems and human populations. These consequences underscore the urgent and existential threat posed by climate change,” Judge Yuji Iwasawa, the ICJ president, said on Wednesday.
Litigants can now cite the advisory opinion in future climate-related litigation.
Aim for 1.5°C target
Greenpeace Hong Kong told HKFP on Thursday that “Hong Kong as a responsible city, must also strengthen its policies to support the globe to achieve the more ambitious 1.5°C target in the coming update of the Climate Action Plan.”
Launched in 2021, Climate Action Plan 2050 (CAP2050) lays out multiple decarbonisation strategies – such as net-zero electricity generation and green transport – with an aim to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050.
Net zero refers to achieving a balance between the production and removal of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere in order to slow the progression of global warming.
The overarching goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement, adopted by 195 parties at the UN Climate Change Conference, is to limit the global temperature rise to below 2°C above pre-industrial levels. In the long term, further efforts are required in the pursuit of a 1.5°C target.
A spokesperson for Ark Eden, an eco-education centre on Lantau Island, called the climate change ruling a “historic milestone,” particularly for biodiversity advocacy and for the potential impact on future environmental litigation in local courts.
“By affirming the legal right to a healthy environment, it places a binding obligation on all states to protect the natural world – a powerful reinforcement of every citizen’s right to demand climate justice,” said the Ark Eden spokesperson. “For species on the brink, this ruling could be a game-changer.”
Public readiness
Civic Exchange, a local public-policy think tank, said that Hong Kong has shown steady climate progress, such as through the city’s CAP2025.
Civic Exchange Executive Director Lawrence Iu told HKFP that, on a regional scale, the city made some of the most significant greenhouse gas emission reductions in Asia. “Between 2014 and 2022, Hong Kong reduced its [greenhouse gas] emissions by 24%, with electricity-related emissions dropping by nearly 33%,” he wrote.
Iu also said that, if the government were to become more ambitious in their climate policies and actions, Hongkongers should be “prepared to shoulder some of the associated costs.”
“Ultimately, Hong Kong’s ability to move faster will hinge not only on technical feasibility or government leadership, but also on public readiness to participate in and support the transition,” he added.
Others, such as Paul G. Harris, professor of global and environmental studies at the Education University of Hong Kong, welcomed the ICJ’s ruling, but were more sceptical about how the crisis would be addressed locally. “First, Hong Kong is not a state, so this ruling, at least for now, is going to be interpreted by [local] officials as not applying to Hong Kong,” he said.
Despite having plans to slowly cut the city’s greenhouse gas emissions, climate change is not an urgent priority for the government, Harris added. “I don’t think the ICJ ruling will do much, if anything, to cause the [Hong Kong] government to prioritise the climate crisis.”
The Environment and Ecology Bureau (EEB) did not directly respond to HKFP’s questions regarding the ICJ ruling or calls to strengthen climate action policies from green groups.
However, in a written response on Monday, the bureau said that, as part of China, Hong Kong “has the duty” to contribute towards achieving the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, in addition to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol, which China ratified.
Adopted in 1997, the Kyoto Protocol commits developed countries and transitioning economies to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions based on agreed individual targets.
The protocol only places binding emission reduction targets on developed countries listed in Annex I, whereas China, classified as a developing country, is not bound by the requirements of the protocol.
According to the EEB, Hong Kong is “steadily advancing” decarbonisation strategies outlined in CAP2050, with steps being taken towards reducing carbon emissions.
“Per capita greenhouse gas emissions have also reached a new low since 1990, decreasing to about 4.58 tonnes, nearly a 30% reduction compared to 2005 and 2014 levels. This figure is approximately a quarter of that of the United States and 60% of the European Union.”
“Looking ahead, we will, in line with the spirit of the Paris Agreement, conduct a review once every five years to fine-tune and improve the carbon reduction measures, having regard to the latest developments in various zero-carbon technologies,” it wrote.
