By Damian Grammaticas in Hong Kong Hong Kong and its neighbouring province of Guangdong in China have launched a ground-breaking joint effort to tackle the region's serious environmental problems. Among the issues they are attempting to deal with are air and water pollution, better conservation and controls on development. The area of Hong Kong and southern China around the Pearl River delta has developed at a dizzying pace in the past decade or so. The city has seen protests against pollution with residents wearing masks Hundreds of businesses and factories have sprung up and the region's population has grown rapidly. But the economic advances have come at a considerable cost to the environment.
Foul air is a particular problem.
Record levels were registered in March. For the entire month the air pollution index topped the 100 level - the threshold at which government experts advise people to stay indoors. Rubbish on beaches Cases of respiratory ailments in Hong Kong have shown a steady increase. Oil spills and polluted waters have affected the area's dolphins Tons of discarded rubbish collect in the waters of the Pearl River delta, washing up on the region's beaches. It has reached the stage where there are fears that tourism and investment in the region will suffer.