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Foreword
Image
of Director of Environmental Protection
One of
the more important new policy initiatives introduced by the
HKSAR's Chief Executive has been the requirement for all government
departments and policy bureaus to produce annual reports on
their environmental performance. Through this initiative,
not only will the public have access to useful information,
but the environmental awareness and, hence, the environmental
performance of the government as a whole, will be greatly
improved.
This report
is the first that the Environmental Protection Department
(EPD) has produced under the Chief Executive's new initiative.
It is not, however, the first report we have produced concerning
environmental protection in Hong Kong. Each year we publish
Environment Hong Kong, which provides the public with comprehensive
information on the state of the environment and the new measures
that have been undertaken to improve the environment. It can
be accessed easily through our website www.info.gov.hk/epd/.
Preparing
this first environmental performance report has presented
us with a unique challenge. Unlike other government departments,
our entire purpose and reason for existing is to protect and
improve the environment, so a full environmental performance
report should perhaps cover every aspect of our work. Much
of this, however, is already covered in Environment Hong Kong.
We have,
therefore, decided in this inaugural report to focus on the
key ways we work to help improve the environment, as well
as reporting on the direct environmental impact of our day-to-day
departmental activities.
In preparing
our environmental performance report, we have gained much
from pausing to think about the EPD's impact on the environment,
both through our daily activities and through the policies
we seek to put in place. I am certain other government departments
and policy bureaus will also as they go through a similar
exercise.
At the
EPD, we are proud of our many achievements in protecting the
environment. But Hong Kong's environmental problems are constantly
changing and providing new challenges. There is also always
room for improvement in the way any organisation goes about
its work_and we are acutely aware that we need constantly
to aim to do better.
I sincerely
hope that readers will find this report both informative and
useful. Feedback from the public on how we could further improve
our reporting would, however, be most welcome. Comments may
be sent to the address shown on the back cover or by e-mail
to enquiry@epd.gov.hk
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Signature
of R. J. S. LAW, JP
R. J.
S. LAW, JP
Director of Environmental Protection
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