A new study shows the city's air quality ranks below New York, London, Paris, and even Los Angeles.
While Hong Kong may have one of the world's most admired transportation networks, findings from a new study show that Hong Kong's air quality is far below that of other world cities. The authors of the study published by a partnership of major universities and a prominent local think-tank estimate that the severity of the city's air pollution costs residents and businesses billions of dollars a year in lost productivity and health-related costs.
"'If it was an infectious disease, there would be a crisis,' professor Anthony Hedley from Hong Kong University's School of Public Health said. "This is a medical emergency.""
Government officials acknowledge the region's worsening air quality situation, and have stated that environmental protection is now a priority for the S.A.R.'s leadership.
A major factor affecting the region's air quality is border city of Shenzhen, a major manufacturing center in Mainland China that has loose environmental controls. However, the study's authors cite a number of ways the Hong Kong government can improve the situation for residents, including introducing cleaner fuels for transport.
FULL STORY: Deadly cost of air pollution
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