April 2013 – An Inhabitable City?

A recent survey by The Economist named Hong Kong as the most “liveable” city in the world. The S.A.R. also came in tenth in a table of the best place to be born in another study by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The results raised eyebrows in the city, where many residents are only too aware of some of the shortcomings of life in Hong Kong.

In this issue of Periscope, we explore whether Hong Kong is really the world’s best city by looking at some issues of close concern to its inhabitants:

Apart from scoring high in liveability tables, Hong Kong also consistently tops the rankings of the world’s most expensive city when it comes to property prices. The high cost of real estate pushes up prices of goods and services in the territory and puts the dream of a home of one’s own out of reach for many Hong Kong’ers.

Hong Kong’s air pollution is driving away international talent and affecting the health of its residents. Just how bad is our air and what is the government doing to tackle the problem?

Hong Kong may be judged one of the best places to be born in the world, but try telling that to the parents who are frantically trying to secure their children’s educational future. The pressure for university places starts early, even before kindergarten starts.