Page 11 - AAA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2012 Online Magazine

Headline News

Hong Kong closer to getting ing considerations.”
If the airport authority
third runway receives the Government’s
green light to proceed with
its recommendations, it will
adopt the proposed new
The Hong Kong Airport cision urgently on HKIA’s ation hub by growing it.” Air Quality Objectivess as
Authority has made a rec- future expansion plans. Cathay Pacific says it ac- the benchmark for conduct-
ommendation to the Gov- Cathay chief executive knowledges the concern ing the air quality impact
ernment to build a third officer John Slosar said: “We of the environmental im- assessment under the EIA
runway as part of the future firmly believe the third run- pact in building the third studies and ensure full
development blueprint for way is of critical importance runway among the survey compliance with the pre-
the airport. to the sustainability of the respondents. The airline vailing statutory require-
The board of the airport Hong Kong economy and, fully supports and actively ments throughout the EIA
authority made the recom- therefore, to the long-term implements various initia- process.
mendation in late Decem- prosperity and well-being tives to fulfil the IATA’s cli- Spokespersons from the
ber, following the conclu- of Hong Kong people. Con- mate change commitments airport authority said they
sion of the three-month nectivity with the rest of the – an average improvement are not under-estimating
public consultation on Hong world has made Hong Kong in fuel efficiency of 1.5% per the challenges ahead and
Kong International Airport what it is today so we must year to 2020, aviation car- will explore all possible
Master Plan 2030. The Board be clear on how we can bon-neutral growth from measures, including miti-
submitted its recommenda- maintain and grow these 2020, and a reduction in net gation, to address relevant
tions to the Government to
adopt, for planning pur-
poses, the three-runway op-
tion as the future develop-
ment option for Hong Kong
International Airport. The
Board also recommended
proceeding with the statu-
tory Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) process
and the preparation of asso-
ciated design details.
Adding a third runway
is to cater to Hong Kong’s
long-term air traffic growth
and strengthen the city’s
role as a leading regional
and international aviation links for our future. CO2 emissions of 50% by issues during the course of
centre, says the airport au- “A third runway is the 2050, relative to 2005 levels. the EIA.
thority. only viable option to ensure “We welcome the Airport They added that the or-
The move was welcomed the long-term competitive- Authority’s recommenda- ganisation has been work-
by the city’s main carrier, ness of Hong Kong as an tion to proceed with the ing on a number of air qual-
Cathay Pacific, which sais important international fi- statutory Environmental ity improvement measures.
it is also encouraged by the nancial centre, trading and Impact assessment process These measures include the
result of the independent logistics hub, tourism des- and the preparation of asso- early retirement of aged or
Hong Kong University sur- tination, and professional ciated design details,” said heavily polluted vehicles;
vey which shows that 73% of services capital. Mr Slosar. “We are confi- wider use of hybrid and
the 24,242 respondents pre- “Giving the increasing dent that the economic and electric vehicles; electrifi-
fer the three-runway option competition from other air- social benefits of the third cation of aviation ground
and 80% agree or strongly ports, we need to invest on runway will be carefully support equipment; and
agree that the Airport Au- the back of the spectacular balanced with environmen- tree planting and rooftop
thority should make a de- success of our fantastic avi- tal, engineering and fund- greening.

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www.AsianAirlines-Airports.com January/February 2012 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS