Climate change is an issue we cannot ignore. It is already beginning to transform the way we live. Most of us have felt the impact but few are able to relate them to climate change.

It cannot be tackled by the efforts of one country alone nor can the challenges it presents be overcome by the well-intentioned actions of just a few in the community. In late May 2011, estimates from the International Energy Agency showed that in 2010, global carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels rose by a record amount despite the impact of the economic recession and existing policies aimed at controlling greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission. Climate change will affect us all and we must all respond to its challenges as responsible members of the local and global community.

In the last quarter of 2010, the Government conducted a public consultation to gauge the views of the community and various stakeholders on Hong Kong's climate change strategy and action agenda for the coming decade. The public consultation document not only proposed a target of reducing Hong Kong's carbon intensity in 2020 by 50%-60% compared to the 2005 figure but also set out a series of possible supply-side options and demand-side measures to help achieve this target.

The Fukushima nuclear plant incident triggered introspective thoughts in using and managing the demand-side of limited and increasingly expensive energy resources as effectively as possible. The Council for Sustainable Development has decided to conduct a new public engagement exercise to gauge the views of the community and stakeholders on concerns, incentives and potential action plans on demand-side management of electricity consumption.

Electricity consumption per capita in Hong Kong has risen steadily over the past 10 years. Some 90% of the electricity consumed in Hong Kong is used at buildings. Generating this electricity accounts for almost 60% of our GHGs emission. It is essential then that we use electricity efficiently and wisely, not just to help curb GHGs emission, but also because it makes sound financial sense. Saving just 1 kWh of electricity each day over a one year period can cut our electricity bills by an average of HK$365 and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 260 kg. The way that we use electricity in buildings is crucial to achieving these savings. Just how major building user groups - households, offices, retailers and caterers - see the opportunities, incentives and the concerns over saving electricity are things we need to know so that we can recommend action plans that are workable and achievable.

The public engagement process will take place from August to December 2011. This Invitation for Response Document provides a discussion framework containing background information on climate change and GHGs emission and electricity use in Hong Kong. It also explains how electricity is currently used by different building user groups and the measures that have already been taken by the Government and by various stakeholders to foster and encourage the more efficient use of electricity. It also identifies options for achieving further improvements in energy efficiency and energy saving in the future.

We all recognise that this is a complex issue. It raises many questions and problems but solutions may not be immediately obvious or workable. You may not be familiar with some of the concepts and terms used in this document. But please do not feel intimidated by them. After all, we all use electricity each and every day - without it our lives would be totally different. Please read this document or just focus on the sections that you feel are most relevant to your individual situation. Towards the end of the document, we explain how you can provide us with your ideas, opinions and viewpoints. There will also be opportunities to attend and participate in regional forums. The public engagement exercise will also have a dedicated website to provide you with up-to-date information on the subject and upcoming events. Your opinions and views are of tremendous importance to us. They will help us gain a better understanding of how electricity is used in Hong Kong buildings and assist us in recommending the way forward to the Government.

On behalf of the Council for Sustainable Development, I would like to thank you in advance for your participation in this engagement and for sharing your views with us. Your views will point us to the right direction for Hong Kong to make the transition to be a truly low-carbon city in the decades ahead.

Bernard Chan,
Chairman,
Council for Sustainable Development