Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao jointly released today (October 23) a report on air quality in 2025 under the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Pearl River Delta Regional Air Quality Monitoring Network, which indicates a long-term downward trend of the concentrations of various air pollutants, namely sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, respirable suspended particulates and fine suspended particulates. Compared with 20 years ago, the 2025 annual average concentrations for these parameters have declined by between 23 per cent and 86 per cent (shown in Annexes 1 and 2). Among these, fine suspended particulates concentration dropped to 19 μg/m³, reaching a leading level nationwide. This reflects the effectiveness of the emission reduction measures implemented by the three places in improving air quality across the Pearl River Delta region.
Over the past few years, the governments of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao have introduced various policy measures and co-operated to improve regional air quality. For Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government has continued to implement various air pollutant emission control measures covered in the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles (EVs), the Clean Air Plan for Hong Kong 2035, the Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 and the Green Transformation Roadmap of Public Buses and Taxis on marine and land transport, power plants and non-road mobile machinery to enhance air quality. Also, the Updated Version of the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of EVs, announced in February 2026, updates the strategies and measures for promoting the popularisation of EVs. In addition, the Air Pollution Control (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 came into effect in April, 2025, updating a number of air quality objectives (AQOs). Among the 15 updated AQOs, seven are set at the most stringent levels of the World Health Organization Global Air Quality Guidelines, which are on par with those of other advanced economies.
On the reduction of emissions from power plants, the HKSAR Government published the Tenth Technical Memorandum for Allocation of Emission Allowances In Respect of Specified Licences (TM) in May 2025 to further tighten the emission caps of air pollutants for electricity sector from 2030 onwards. Compared with the First TM (i.e. emission allowance for 2010), the emission allowances for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and respirable suspended particulates have been reduced by about 91 per cent, 80 per cent and 75 per cent respectively. The HKSAR Government has also amended the Air Pollution Control (Fuel Restriction) Regulations in 2025, and is planning to amend the Air Pollution Control (Marine Light Diesel) Regulation. These amendments tighten the sulphur content limit of local industrial and commercial liquid fuel and marine light diesel to 0.001 per cent, on par with vehicle diesel standards, achieving “three-oil integration” in Hong Kong.
Regarding marine vessels, Hong Kong and cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) have collaborated since 2019 to establish a domestic marine emission control area in the Pearl River Delta, requiring all vessels to use compliant fuel within Hong Kong waters while sailing or at berth. Since the implementation of the above measures, the annual average concentration of sulphur dioxide recorded in 2025 at the Kwai Chung Air Quality Monitoring Station in the vicinity of the Kwai Chung Container Terminals has reduced by about 50 per cent as compared with 2018, indicating that the control measures have been effective. The HKSAR Government has also been encouraging local ferries to adopt green transportation technologies to reduce air pollutant emissions. This includes the implementation of the Pilot Scheme for Electric Ferries. The three electric ferries that have commenced trials are operating smoothly overall, providing passengers with a diesel-odour-free, quiet and comfortable experience when crossing Victoria Harbour.