Achieving Environmental Goals in a Competitive Electricity Market?: Post-Colonial Hong Kong, Public Choice and the Role of Government

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Author(s)
Y.H. Lo, Alex
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2008
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This paper critically assesses the discourse of electricity market liberalization in Hong Kong, China and makes policy recommendations from an environmental perspective. For both economic and environmental reasons, local advocates urge for an immediate opening of the electricity market currently monopolized by two private companies. Their neglect of the fact that a competitive green power market is a function of adequate public support in the form of market demand may place the environmental agenda at a disadvantage. Given that environmental issues are yet a dominant concern in this growth-oriented economy, a new facilitative ...
View more >This paper critically assesses the discourse of electricity market liberalization in Hong Kong, China and makes policy recommendations from an environmental perspective. For both economic and environmental reasons, local advocates urge for an immediate opening of the electricity market currently monopolized by two private companies. Their neglect of the fact that a competitive green power market is a function of adequate public support in the form of market demand may place the environmental agenda at a disadvantage. Given that environmental issues are yet a dominant concern in this growth-oriented economy, a new facilitative role of the government is of particular importance to prevent the market from being dominated by short-term, rational economic behaviours. Mild changes with an emphasis of a transformation in the roles of different players, which the government is hesitant to initiate, are suggested.
View less >
View more >This paper critically assesses the discourse of electricity market liberalization in Hong Kong, China and makes policy recommendations from an environmental perspective. For both economic and environmental reasons, local advocates urge for an immediate opening of the electricity market currently monopolized by two private companies. Their neglect of the fact that a competitive green power market is a function of adequate public support in the form of market demand may place the environmental agenda at a disadvantage. Given that environmental issues are yet a dominant concern in this growth-oriented economy, a new facilitative role of the government is of particular importance to prevent the market from being dominated by short-term, rational economic behaviours. Mild changes with an emphasis of a transformation in the roles of different players, which the government is hesitant to initiate, are suggested.
View less >
Journal Title
Energy & Environment
Volume
19
Issue
7
Copyright Statement
© 2008 Multi-Science Publishing Co. Ltd. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
Subject
Environment Policy