THE ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH INEQUALITIES IN HONG KONG

The evidence base is more substantial regarding temperature increases In this report, we discuss the effects of some of the and the heat island effect, and it points to the existence of main environmental drivers of health in Hong Kong. [...] have shown that the prevalence of high-rise Hong Kong is one of the most densely populated urban housing in Hong Kong with its mix of public and private areas in the world, with a population of over 7 million housing, and the interconnectedness of the urban built people in a space of 1,114 square kilometres, of which environment, facilitate movement between different about 40 percent is protected. [...] In this chapter we expand on some of these problems and the implications for health and Affordability can also impact health, directly and inequalities of the extended role of the Government in indirectly by reducing the available income for daily providing public housing and the issue of subdivided necessities. [...] Certainly, having to refers to the inability of respondents to afford items constantly move home because of a lack of security, deemed essential by the majority of Hong Kong’s adult 16 THE ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH INEQUALITIES IN HONG KONG CONTENTS population, played a mediating role in the relationship Between 2006 and 2013, the average price for a small between housing affordability and health, bu. [...] (16) The termination of rent control in the private For the lowest income decile, the median cost of rent in market since the early 2000s, the shortage of construction 2021 was 54.6 percent of income, and the median cost land, the land property system – whereby all land is held of mortgage and loan repayment was 73.4 of income, under a public leasehold system – and planning restrictions compared w.