Hong Kong Chief Executive CY Leung said in his first policy address on Wednesday that the government's target is to broadly achieve the new air quality objectives by 2020 and the next priority is to improve roadside air quality.

To meet the 2015 and 2020 emission reduction targets, Leung suggested setting aside 10 billion HK dollars (about 1.29 billion U.S. dollars) as subsidies to owners of over 80,000 heavily polluting pre-Euro and Euro I to III diesel commercial vehicles in order to progressively phase out these vehicles having regard to their pollution level.

"The scheme will significantly reduce the overall emissions of particulate and nitrogen oxides by 80 percent and 30 percent respectively," he said, adding that a service life limit for newly registered diesel commercial vehicles should be set at 15 years.

Leung said the government plans to submit to the legislative council its proposal of bringing in new legislation to enforce the requirement of fuel switch at berth after consulting the maritime sector.

"In 2011, marine vessels were the largest source of respirable suspended particulate matter, nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide," Leung said, in particular, the emissions of ocean-going vessels at berth accounted for about 40 percent of their total emissions within Hong Kong waters.

Besides, the government will step up its efforts with Guangdong Province in exploring the feasibility of requiring ocean-going vessels to switch to low-sulphur diesel while berthing in Pearl River Delta ports.

The first berth of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal will be commissioned in the middle of this year, Leung said that the government suggests to install on-shore power supply facilities for use by cruise vessels with such facilities which will enable cruise vessels to switch to electric power while berthing and hence minimize their impact on air quality.

Other suggestions to improve air quality include rationalizing bus route and helping franchised transports to reduce their emissions. Endi