Environmental pollution transcends administrative boundaries and Hong Kong and Guangdong have worked together on environmental matters for nearly 20 years. To enhance the collaboration, a Joint Working Group on Sustainable Development and Environmental Protection was set up in 2000. In December 2005, the Joint Working Group held its sixth meeting to examine the implementation of various cooperation initiatives and discuss the work plan for 2006.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government and the Guangdong Provincial Government have drawn up a regional air quality management plan that aims to reduce regional pollutant emissions by 20 per cent to 55 per cent by 2010, taking 1997 as the base year. The two governments started operating a regional air quality monitoring network covering the entire PRD region with 16 monitoring stations and reporting the Regional Air Quality Index in November 2005. Both sides are also developing an Emissions Trading Pilot Scheme for Thermal Power Plants in the PRD. Details are expected to be finalised in 2006.

Hong Kong and Shenzhen, meanwhile, are involved in a 15-year water pollution control joint implementation programme to gradually reduce the pollution loads in Deep Bay with the objective of returning the bay to a clean and healthy state by 2015. To gauge its effectiveness and draw up necessary additional mitigation measures, both sides started a review of the programme at the end of 2004. The review will be completed in early 2007. On a regional level, the Pearl River Delta water quality model being jointly developed by Hong Kong and Guangdong will be completed in 2006. The model will provide an analytical tool and the necessary scientific basis for the two governments to proceed to the next phase of the Pearl River Estuary water quality management cooperation.