A bigger push for battery-powered lorries and taxis is needed for Hong Kong to cut emissions more quickly as part of its wider carbon-reduction drive, a policy think tank has said.

In a report released on Friday reviewing the city’s progress towards achieving its climate goals, Civic Exchange also called for ending new registrations of fuel-powered cars in 2030, five years sooner than the government plans.

The think tank stressed the importance of Hong Kong catching up with the country’s environmental goals to ensure carbon emissions peaked before 2030 and the city achieved carbon neutrality before 2060.

According to a plan released by the government in 2021, the city aims to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050 and meet an interim target of cutting emissions by 50 per cent from 2005’s level before 2035.

Tsang Wing, assistant manager at Civic Exchange, said the government’s blueprint would only ensure emission reductions through to 2035. She said the government must develop strategies now to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050 and contribute towards national green goals.

“It is crucial to ensure a strengthened carbon reduction road map is ready by 2026 to encapsulate aggressive yet achievable targets,” she said.

Lawrence Iu Chun-yip, the think tank’s executive director, said that while the government’s blueprint made Hong Kong one of the leading Asian cities committing to a carbon neutrality goal before 2050, a clear five-year pathway for various sectors was needed.