Hong Kong remains afloat

The larger risk of typhoons and storm surges is making Hong Kong prepare for the possible damage

The Asia News Network quoted the 16th Financial Forum where Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po spoke on Hong Kong addressing the demand for sustainable infrastructure, as well as green transitions. He reassured that Hong Kong is working to achieve its Climate Action Plan 2050 while the government is working hard on keeping the environment clean and stable to reduce climate change.

However, with climate change being a constant, Channel News Asia reported that global warming would continue to affect the weather in Hong Kong so much that, even with the intense typhoons being more prominent, storm surges would become a lot more frequent as well. The shift in climate would result in the loss of 10 percent of Hong Kong’s residents living dangerously close to sea level. 

Hong Kong is well aware of this and is working on major developments to build better defences against the weather in preparation of the possible storm surges accompanying intense typhoons. The country is taking measures to weather-proof itself.

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Authorities are planning on building more rock walls and breakwaters  to hold up against the crash of waves as a part of their 2050 Climate Action Plan. They have allocated a budget of HKD1.2 billion (USD153 million) to create countermeasures for floods in their newer developments, namely connecting the Kowloon Byewash Reservoir with the Lower Shing Mun Reservoir.

Within the bodies of water itself, they are planning on shoring up aquatic systems to build a stronger underwater bed through the restoration of their degraded ecosystems.

Yet the government is not the only figure who acts on creating these protective measures. Private developers play a large part in keeping Hong Kong safer. These industry leaders have been establishing standards in new towns and developments to incorporate a semblance of weather-proofing within its residences, as well, such as installing typhoon-resistant windows and flood barriers.

The Property Report editors wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].