A voluntary carbon audits scheme was launched by the government yesterday to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from buildings.

Thirty-seven organizations including enterprises, universities and non-profit organizations have signed up for the scheme.

They include Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd, HSBC and the University of Hong Kong.

They will carry out carbon audits on their buildings and start a carbon reduction program in the next two years.

Besides, the government has also promised to conduct carbon audits on over 10 government buildings this year.

Secretary for the Environment Edward Yau said at the launching ceremony of the scheme that through carbon audits, managers of buildings can calculate the amount of greenhouse gas emitted and design measures to reduce greenhouse emissions.

"Many greenhouse gas reduction measures can, in fact, help reduce air pollutant emissions and at the same time improve our air quality," he reiterated. "The government has issued guidelines to help managers of buildings measure carbon dioxide emissions."

The guidelines were jointly drawn up by the Environmental Protection Department and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department based on international protocols.

With detailed explanations of the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions, the guidelines help managers of buildings understand how to quantify gas emissions.

Yau noted that it is difficult for the government to compel enterprises to join the scheme.

Angus Wong, environmental affairs officer from Friends of the Earth Hong Kong, welcomed the scheme. However, he pointed out that similar voluntary schemes were introduced in the 1990s but failed.

He called for the government to study ways to attract more organizations to join the scheme, or even to make carbon audits mandatory for buildings.

(HK Edition 07/25/2008 page1)