U.S. ASSISTS HONG KONG TO MONITOR AIR POLLUTION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HONG KONG 002051 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/CM E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TPHY HK CH SUBJECT: U.S. ASSISTS HONG KONG TO MONITOR AIR POLLUTION ¶1. (U) Summary: Air pollution levels in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) remain high, though slightly improved from last year, according to data recently released jointly by the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and the Environmental Protection Bureau of Guangdong (GDEPB). A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expert, Dr. Golam Sarwar, working at Consulate General Hong Kong under a two-month Science Fellowship from the State Department, is helping the Hong Kong government analyze this and other historical data. Dr. Sarwar is working with scientists at HK EPD and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HK UST) to adapt a U.S. EPA-developed air pollution model for use here. This model will help researchers better predict air pollution sources and levels across the Pearl River Delta (PRD),supporting policy recommendations to reduce air pollution regionally. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) Comment: Air pollution reportedly is responsible for an estimated 10,000 premature deaths and 440,000 hospital-bed days annually in the PRD; direct air pollution related health care costs to the region are over RMB 1.8 billion a year, according to local environmental NGO Civic Exchange. In that context, Dr. Sarwar's research has been enthusiastically received by Hong Kong's EPD Air Science Group, which is providing him full access to their data. The EPA model is now running at HK UST; initial results should be available by late November. The Hong Kong government recognizes air quality is a serious concern and is devoting significant resources to monitoring pollution, but finds it easy to blame the problem on Guangdong factories and claim Hong Kong's ability to act is limited. The EPD Air Science Group is particularly excited about Dr. Sarwar's research and expertise. The Group sees the EPA model as a way to analyze years' worth of data and put it in an understandable format for policy makers. End Comment. PRD Pollution Down; Thank the Weather -------------- ¶3. (U) The Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and the Environmental Protection Bureau of Guangdong Province (GDEPB) jointly released a statistical report from the Pearl River Delta (PRD) Regional Air Monitoring Network covering the first half of 2008 (Jan-June),on October 29. The network comprises 16 automatic ambient air monitoring stations scattered across the PRD Economic Zone (13 in Guangdong, 3 in Hong Kong). The stations monitor four major air pollutants: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and large respirable suspended particulates; EPD and GDEPB publish the data in a consolidated format for research use bi-annually. ¶4. (U) According to the latest report, pollution levels decreased slightly overall when compared to the first half of ¶2007. Nitrogen dioxide levels were unchanged, ozone levels were up slightly, but sulphur dioxide and respirable particulate measurements were notably down. The report speculates this improvement was due to favorable weather dispersal patterns and heavier then usual rainfall during the period, rather than reduced industrial emissions. ¶5. (SBU) Commenting on the sharing of data and its relationship with Guangdong environmental authorities, EPD Senior Air Science Group Officer Peter Louie told Econoff that working-level cross-border relationships between the EPD and GDEPB are good. At higher levels, and despite formal exchanges like the network report, Mainland authorities still treat air pollution data as a state secret; its release is typically delayed significantly, Louie said. Aside from the major pollutants noted above, other data is impossible or difficult to acquire and measurements for the more dangerous fine respirable suspended particulate are not collected under the program at all. EPD Air Science Group Officer, Christopher Fung, noted that Hong Kong has been collecting air quality data for over ten years. The goal now is to use modeling to show the impact of pollution and support decision makers in developing sensible air pollution control policies. Dr. Sarwar's Air Pollution Modeling Research -------------- ¶6. (U) The PRD Regional Air Monitoring Report release occurred during a 60-day research trip by Dr. Golam Sarwar, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientist based at the EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory in North Carolina. Dr. Sarwar is in Hong Kong through November 28 as a State Department Science Research Fellow to apply an EPA-developed air quality model for use in the PRD. His specific research goal is to use the model to evaluate the HONG KONG 00002051 002 OF 002 impact of excited nitrogen dioxide (a major air pollutant produced by combustion) on ozone. ¶7. (SBU) Dr. Sarwar's research has been enthusiastically received and is generating a measure of excitement among Hong Kong researchers and NGOs involved in air quality issues. With Consulate General Hong Kong assistance, Dr. Sarwar has engaged with major universities, government offices and NGOs in Hong Kong focused on improving air quality. He has presented his research to groups at four scheduled seminars and during a number of less formal discussions. HK EPD has given Dr. Sarwar wide access to the EPD pollution monitoring network and data base and HK UST Environmental Engineering Department has offered use of their computer lab. Working with faculty there, he installed the EPA-developed Community Multi-Scale Air Quality Model (CMAQ) on October 28 and began running the model with the added excited nitrogen dioxide chemistry. Initial results showing ozone impact should be available soon. ¶8. (U) The cited Civic Exchange Study &A Price Too High: The Health Impact of Air Pollution in Southern China8 is posted on-line at http://www.civic-exchange.org/eng/upload/file s/200806 AirQualityPublichealth.pdf. The PRD Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network report is posted on-line at http://www.epd.gov.hk. DONOVAN