With continuous air traffic growth expected for the coming years, environmental concerns of air transport are gaining an increasing importance. Although the aviation industry has consistently made significant improvements, future technological and operational improvements are not expected to offset the effect of this anticipated growth. To tackle the problem, ICAO has recommended a balanced approach on handling aviation environmental matters to ensure that the aviation industry is able to meet demand and bring economic growth on one hand, and to preserve the environment on the other.
Disturbance to the public caused by aircraft noise remains the most significant aviation environmental impact in Hong Kong. On this, our effort includes completely phasing out the operation of the older, noisier "Chapter 2" aircraft to reduce noise at source; implementing noise abatement operational procedures to make departures and arrivals quieter; and working with other government departments and bureaux to plan noise sensitive land uses away from the airport. In addition, our noise management office continues to closely monitor the noise impacts in the vicinity of flight paths, handle noise complaints from the community and conduct noise investigations.
In our daily operations, we fully support the green measures in saving energy consumption. This year, a number of measures would be put in place for reducing electricity consumption at our Air Traffic Control Complex as well as other offices of CAD.
This report is our fifth Environment Report since 1999. In this report, we have reviewed our performance in the year of 2003 and have set our targets for 2004. I hope you enjoy reading the report.
Director-General of Civil Aviation
Mr. Norman Lo Shung-man, JP
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