Driven by tourism and gaming industry, the economy of Macau has achieved remarkable growth for recent years, whereas lots of traffic and environmental problems have been derived from city planning policy and construction as well as the rapid increase of population and vehicles. This has so far become one of the major concerns for people’s livelihood in Macau and also a key matter to consider in terms of government administration. To solve the problem, it needs participation and coordination by all the Macau people. Therefore, on Nov. 5th, Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau organized a theme talk lecture on the topic of “Creating Healthy Life and Environment”, at which, the Director of Transport Bureau (DSAT) Wong Wan and Deputy Director of Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) Vai Hoi Ieong were invited to give speeches. The convocation presided by Lecturer Cheong Wan, students Lo Mei Va and Ip Tang Fai recorded an attendance of over two hundred teachers and students.

When talking about the hot issue of public concern about transportation in Macau, Director Wong Wan pointed out that the ratio of carbon emissions among public transportation, motorcycles and private cars are 1 to 3 to 10. During the past decade, an increase of 67.2% has been recorded for motor vehicles, yet of which, the carload of private cars recorded only 1.2. This has resulted in large social costs as far as environment is concerned. The development of public transport and walking more are beneficial to the city of Macau. As we know it is not sufficient only to rely on an increase of transport facilities construction for it will make things worse and create traffic jams by endless growth of vehicles. Therefore giving top priority to public transport is a way to avoid from vicious circle. Always to walk green and protect world heritages, make integration of districts in combination with city planning will be conform to the principle of people-oriented and sustainable development. The future prospect of transportation described by Director Wong provides a good set of measures through public bus connection service, optimization of pedestrian system and environment as well as building parking facilities offering people an integrated and optional plan to go out. In the future, a two-ring-two-axle structure of road networks will be developed in shape to relieve the traffic load of central city. He called on the general public always to persist in saving energy, environmental protection and green walk while acting to stand for these ideas. Only when all the people move can energy consumption be reduced, city air and transport status be improved so as to lay foundation for a healthy life.

In his presentation on creating a healthy life and environment, Director Vai Hoi Ieong briefed the three major axles of DSPA’s missions, including total environment planning and regional cooperation, pollution control, publicity and education. He pointed out that Macau should head for the life of low greenhouse gasses emissions and high economic growth. He advocated the basic concept of a low-carbon life, low-carbon economy and low-carbon society that could be created in common efforts of Macau citizens, enterprises and government so as to get a low-consumption, low-pollution and low-emission Macau and make green environment available. In the coming decade, DSPA will start with series of measures in seven aspects, including ecology, water, energy, environmental management, air, noise, waste, etc. while a six-item planning strategy would be put into practice to realize enterprise emissions reduction, total integration of districts, conservation of world heritage ecosystem as well as promotion of going out green, etc. To enhance the sense of eco-protection among the faculty and students, Director Vai presented three education commercial clips on environmental protection issue. He gave a general eco idea of “five-Rs”, e.g. “Refuse” to avoid from unnecessary shopping, “Reduce” to make less waste, “Reuse” to repeat utilization of things, “Repair” to maintain more and “Recycle” to make good use of waste, etc. By his own example of taking a non-driving day in every week, he proposed some living habits for faculty and students, such as walking more and taking whatever means of public transportation; always sharing vehicles with families and friends; to ban idling vehicles with running engine whenever over three minutes; and to use charging batteries, etc. so as to “Build a low-carbon Macau and create a green life” through our common efforts.

The two Directors then discussed with the faculty and students on several hot topics such as road maintenance, waste disposal and the rising sea-levels etc. The talk drew much of their attention, especially about the issues on barrier free facilities, road planning, automatic walking system, underground waste collection system, eco policy against light pollution and supervision of casino shuttles. In their detailed answers and responses to all the questions, two directors made brief introduction to some of the policies and actions taken by their bureaus lately for the purpose of collecting social feedback and launching research respectively in the field of transport and eco protection. They call for common participation of all the faculty members and students present in the current policy consultation activities so as to create a real healthy life and environment in the future.