Experts Highlight Absence of Comprehensive Heat Action Plan in Hong Kong’s Policy Framework

Environmentalists and academics have criticized the omission of a comprehensive heat-health action plan in Hong Kong’s first five-year plan and latest policy address, warning that relying on “common sense” is inadequate to protect vulnerable residents from rising temperatures. New research from the University of Hong Kong indicates that extreme heat may have contributed to up to 3,238 excess deaths in the city over the past decade.

In response to inquiries from the South China Morning Post regarding the absence of a cross-departmental heat action plan for vulnerable groups, a government spokesperson stated that ongoing efforts aim to “elevate the response capabilities of the government and the community.”

Environmental organizations emphasized that neither the five-year blueprint nor the annual policy address, both delivered by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in September, include a unified strategy to address urban heat risks. The policy address instead proposed a new management system called the “city brain,” designed to enhance interdepartmental coordination during extreme weather events.

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