A new development is proposed that will cut through a hillside and create noise, air and visual impacts. Nearby residents are concerned about the impacts, but there might be compelling reasons to proceed with the development. Reaching a consensus is always difficult in these circumstances, not least because of the technical nature of such projects. Until now, all parties would have had to try to visualise the impacts using two-dimensional drawings and reports written by engineers and other professionals - a situation ripe for misunderstanding. But a new tool has been created that will help to clear up the confusion.

The three-dimensional (3-D) environmental impact assessment (EIA) public engagement tool enables users to inspect a project from all angles, in realistic visual form. This is a major step forward in making it easier for people to make a meaningful contribution to the EIA process and build consensus. It also represents a significant step forward in our efforts to open up the environmental assessment process using new technology. Hong Kong is the first place in the world to use the 3-D tool in the EIA process and public engagement, and was one of the first to post EIA reports, strategic environmental assessment reports, environmental monitoring and audit data and webcam links on its website. Recently, we also introduced electronic whiteboards so people can express their views more easily on proposed developments. These innovative uses of new technology enable us to engage the public in all stages of planning and assessing new developments.

Environmental assessment information and public contributions to development proposals are readily accessible through innovative uses of new technology.

The 3-D tool enables the public to approach a project proposal from all angles in visual form.

The use of new technology is closely linked to the concept of continuous public involvement (CPI), which lets the public provide feedback on projects from initial planning through to final design. The concept was adopted by the Environment, Transport and Works Bureau in September 2003 and presented in the form of a technical circular to promote public dialogue on major development projects. CPI is intended to give people the opportunity to raise concerns about a project before it is too difficult or too expensive to make changes, and to help the proponent avoid costly delays or setbacks. This is a win-win situation.

Continuous public involvement (CPI) in development proposals is the latest trend for EIAs in Hong Kong.

The 3-D tool is an important component in CPI because it helps people visualise proposed projects and the possible impacts. Technical terms are translated into models and images that can be easily understood by lay people. The general public therefore can see as clearly as an engineer or other professional what a proposed development is likely to look like. With better understanding, people are able to participate more effectively in informed discussions on the potential environmental issues and other consequences of major projects.

The EPD uploaded two mock 3-D projects onto its website in 2004 (http://www.epd.gov.hk/eia/3deia/index.html) to demonstrate the tool to the public. Two seminars were also organised for professionals, academics, consultants, community groups and others to promote the 3-D tool and other CPI tools. The first project to incorporate the 3-D tool will be the EPD's Northeast New Territories Landfill extension, which included the requirement for the 3-D tool in its EIA study brief issued in 2004 (see Chapter 7 Waste for details). It is hoped the 3-D tool will become a standard feature for all major projects in the near future, thereby enhancing public dialogue on the development process.

The Public express and note down their points on an electronic whiteboard at a meeting.

In some respects, the EPD has approached public involvement in the EIA process backwards: with each new tool we move closer to the beginning of the process. A few years ago we placed EIAs and project profiles, already available in hard copy, online, thereby greatly increasing public access to information about projects that were already well through the EIA process. We did the same with environmental and monitoring data, which report on projects being built. The latter was enhanced in early 2003 by the requirement of on-site webcams for major projects to give the public 24-hour "access" to major project sites. The 3-D tool adds another dimension to the process by providing people with access to better information, earlier, so they can be informed participants in discussions about proposed developments.

The proposed NENT Landfill Extension is the first project to incorporate the 3-D EIA public engagement tool.

		A 3-member EPD team led by Mr Simon Hui, Principal Environmental Protection Officer (centre), meet SEPA officials during the staff exchange programme held in Beijing in October. The first formal staff exchange programme between the EPD and Mainland State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) began in 2004. The department has had formal links with our Guangdong counterparts since 1990, and this new arrangement at the national level reflects our growing integration with the Mainland. The initial focus of the exchanges is environmental impact assessment (EIA), an area the Mainland has been keen to develop. Three staff in the EPD's Environmental Assessment and Planning Division spent one month at SEPA's head office in Beijing in the autumn, explaining Hong Kong's EIA Ordinance, EIA monitoring and audits, and continuous public involvement in the EIA process. They also learned more about the work of SEPA, such as the training of EIA professionals and the development of an EIA Expert Database. SEPA staff will come to Hong Kong on exchange in 2005. The new arrangement with SEPA also enabled the EPD to participate in training programmes on the Mainland. The Assistant Director, Mr Elvis Au, travelled to Beijing in March to train trainers - about 100 senior Mainland professionals and officials - in strategic environmental assessment. He also participated in a training course on the same subject organised by the World Bank and SEPA in Shanghai in October. More than 200 people attended the course, which was beamed to distance learning centres in Beijing, Xinjiang and Washington DC.   Mr Elvis Au, Assistant Director of EPD, attends the World Bank's workshop on EIAs in Beijing in March. Mr Elvis Au, Assistant Director of EPD, conducts a training course on strategic environmental assessment in Shanghai in October.

Early public input was further enhanced by the introduction of an electronic whiteboard at a consultation session in October 2004. The whiteboard was used to facilitate discussion on the Kwai Tsing District Revitalisation Project during a workshop for residents, community leaders and others from the area. Participants suggested where certain features should be placed, such as green space, a pedestrian zone and a landmark feature, and their preferences were marked on a 3-D image projected on the whiteboard. The inputs were saved on computer and are now being considered by the project consultant in working out the detailed design (see box). As with the 3-D tool, new technology is helping to enhance public participation throughout the development process.

A more open EIA process not only avoids mistakes, it involves the community in determining the environmental standards and structure that will be left for future generations. This is especially true for Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). Unlike EIAs, which assess specific projects, SEAs assess the impacts of major policy and programme proposals, such as transport strategies and sustainable development policies. These assessments traditionally were kept behind closed doors, but in recent years greater transparency has brought them into the open.

		EPD staff participate in the discussion on Kwai Tsing District Revitalisation Project. On 26 October, 2004, the EPD was invited to facilitate a workshop for public discussion on the Kwai Tsing District Revitalisation Project. This was no ordinary talk - it enabled the use of a new public engagement tool to enhance public discussion. More than 50 people attended from all walks of life - students, community leaders, businessmen and officials. Their goal was to discuss the objectives that were to be achieved through the revitalisation project and figure out how best to redesign an existing piazza in Kwai Fong. The participants were divided into three groups and given options and costs, such as pedestrianisation, walkways, an outdoor sound system, a landmark feature, an outdoor LCD television screen and a performance stage. Their budget was $15 million. Most interestingly, they were able to suggest where different features should be placed. These were marked on a 3D image pulled up on an electronic whiteboard, stored on computer and taken away for further consideration to incorporate comments and suggestions. The participants' satisfaction with the process ranged on a scale of five from 3.92 to 4.48. The EPD participated in the workshop at the invitation of the Kwai Tsing District Office. EPD organised a seminar in December to launch an Environmental Management Information and ISO 14001 EMS support package for the construction sector, with speakers from the industry and government departments. SMEs make up the main bulk of industry in Hong Kong and Mainland China and have a major impact on the environment. Unfortunately, many are ignorant of how to manage these impacts. A 2001 study concluded 83 per cent of SMEs had little or no knowledge of environmental management systems (EMS) or ISO 14001 certification. The EPD therefore is targeting these enterprises, to raise awareness and provide updated environmental management information and practical tools that will enhance their environmental performance and improve their competitiveness.     The support package in CD-ROM format. The first focus is on the construction and electrical/electronic sectors. The EPD has developed a support package that includes the most up-to-date environmental management information, user-friendly ISO 14001 EMS templates, a user manual and sector-specific examples. The package was launched in December at a seminar for the construction sector, which attracted more than 200 participants. Very positive feedback was received, with 87 per cent of the feedback rating the seminar "useful" or "very useful". Some 98 per cent felt the seminar helped them to understand the environmental trends facing the trade and many commented that the supporting material was informative and practical. The information has been placed on the EPD website (http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/misc/env_management_sme/index.html) and published in a CD-ROM. A seminar for the electrical/electronic sector will be held in January 2005.   EPD's work has been showcased in government publications. The environmental impact assessment (EIA) process and its follow-up mechanism are recognised as showcasing the achievements of the Hong Kong civil service, in a number of publications by the Civil Service Bureau. Our comprehensive and transparent EIA system is far ahead of many countries and has won international acclaim. The United Nations Environmental Programme and the World Bank often invite professional staff from the Environmental Protection Department to share their experiences and expertise in impact assessment.

In 2002 SEAs started being posted on the EPD website so anyone could read them. The latest SEA project involves Hong Kong 2030 (HK2030), a major study on the future development of Hong Kong. The EPD chairs the HK2030 environmental study management group which, unlike other SEA and EIA study management groups, includes external stakeholders such as members of green groups, academia and professional bodies. They have provided valuable technical guidance and suggested alternative options and scenarios for the HK2030 study.

The public has had access to much of this information because all interim SEA reports and relevant working papers on HK2030 have been posted on the HK2030 website (http://www.info.gov.hk/hk2030/). This access has been especially important given the high degree of public consultation in the HK2030 study process. Three rounds of public consultations have already been carried out and the fourth and final round will be conducted after the last stage of the study is completed in 2005. With so much information available to the public, and so much opportunity to comment, the chances of misinformation or exclusion from the debate have been greatly reduced.

People need information to make realistic choices, whether it is the future development of Hong Kong or a new road in their community. New technology can provide the easiest access to that information and the means of making it more easily understood. Not everyone will agree with the final decisions - that is an impossible task. But there will be no unpleasant surprises. Indeed, a more open process creates opportunities to enhance development so it serves the interests of the wider community.

		More than 280 participants, including colleagues from the ETWB and EPD, attended China's First International EIA Forum in BoAo, Hainan in December. Hong Kong played a prominent role at the 1st China International Forum on Environmental Impact Assessment organised by the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) in BoAo on Hainan Island in December 2004. The Environment, Transport and Works Bureau and the EPD were co-organisers, along with the Appraisal Centre for Environment and Engineering of SEPA, Hainan Province's Land, Environment and Resources Bureau, the Chinese Society of Environmental Scientists and the International Association of Impact Assessment. The Vice-Minister of SEPA, Mr Pan Yue, was the Conference Chairman. Hong Kong's Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, was one of the keynote speakers at the opening ceremony. More than 280 people attended the event.

Continue to promote and facilitate Continuous Public Involvement (CPI) during various stages of the EIA process. Apply the 3D EIA Public Engagement Tool in real-life projects to facilitate more informed and useful public involvement in the EIA process. Apply strategic environmental impact studies to major planning and policy programmes to pre-empt environmental issues at an early stage. Develop a Knowledge Management System to establish a reference library of good practices on EIAs.