Pollution Hurts Hong Kong in Livable City Survey (Update1)
From: Bloomberg - Pollution Hurts Hong Kong in Livable City Survey (Update1)
May 26 (Bloomberg) — Singapore retained its ranking as the Asian city with the best quality of life, while Hong Kong lags rival financial hubs as it struggles with air pollution, according to a survey by Mercer Consulting.
Hong Kong’s Air Pollution Index reached a “very high” reading above 100 at one roadside monitoring station today, the third consecutive day for such a reading, according to the Environmental Protection Department website. The index was 110 in Mong Kok, while hitting “high” levels of 99 in the Central business district and 78 in the Causeway Bay shopping district as of 8 a.m. local time.
[...] “The government hasn’t done very much to introduce green measures or reduce pollution,” said Cathy Loose, a Tokyo-based Mercer officer who helped compile the list, in an interview. The list serves as a compensation guide for expatriate relocation.
Singapore ranks 28 among 221 cities, Tokyo is at 40 and Hong Kong is placed 71, the list shows. Hong Kong also trails New York City (No. 49), and smaller Japanese cities such as Kobe and Yokohama (tied for No. 41), Osaka (No. 51) and Nagoya (No. 57), the list shows. Hong Kong dropped one place from the 2009 because 10 other cities were included this year, while its score of about 94 points is little changed, Loose said.
[...] Cities are rated on 10 factors including infrastructure, political and social environments, and access to medical care. Hong Kong scored poorly on health concerns, said Loose.
Hong Kong’s air pollution was the worst on record during the past two quarters, sparking regular government health warnings. To address the problem, the government introduced a bill in April proposing a ban on idling engines among other steps.
Singapore lags Hong Kong only on measurements of personal freedom and media censorship, said Loose. Mercer is a unit of Marsh & McLennan Cos.
[...] Overall, Vienna retains the top spot as the world’s best city to live in.
Read complete report at: Bloomberg – Pollution Hurts Hong Kong in Livable City Survey (Update1)
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