French envoy Eric Berti says goodbye to Hong Kong after three years in office, citing green issues as important task city must tackle
Consul general will return to Paris at the end of August, with French Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Alexandre Giorgini tipped to succeed him
After three years in his post, French Consul General Eric Berti will return to Paris at the end of August, bringing with him memories of tasty dim sum, the efficient MTR system and the city’s iconic trams.
But there are also more serious matters that weigh heavily on his heart: Hong Kong’s environmental issues.
According to Berti, the city, drawing 60 million visitors annually, should do more in waste management, especially in the handling of glass and plastics.
“[Hong Kong] could be more efficient in how we sort the waste – we have landfills which are full,” he said in an exclusive interview with the Post.
The envoy admitted that when it came to the drive for zero emissions, neighbouring Shenzhen might have overtaken Hong Kong with its electric buses and taxis. But he pointed out that new metropolises faced less constraint in the push to become “smart cities”.
Berti expressed confidence in Hong Kong tackling its green issues.
“[Wong Kam-sing] is a very good environment minister. He needs to be more persuasive in his government. Nothing is lost because Hong Kong has all the capacities,” he said.