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Our
Contribution to Strategic Decision-Making
"
We will contribute actively to government-wide policies and
programmes that support sound environmental management and
sustainable development, and we will advise the government
on the environmental impacts of strategic development proposals
"
THE EPD
WORKS closely with other government departments and stakeholders
to promote sustainable development and build consideration
of the environment into the HKSAR's decision-making process.
As reported
last year, we participated actively in the government's Study
on Sustainable Development for the 21st Century (SUSDEV 21)
and we are involved in managing the environmental part of
the study. In relation to that, we completed the management
of an Environmental Baseline Study in August 2000. This report
reviews the condition of Hong Kong's natural capital stock
and the pressures it faces. It will provide useful information
for evaluating the environmental sustainability of future
policies or strategic proposals.
A section
on environmental implications is required in all policy submissions
to the Executive Council and in all submissions to the Public
Works Sub-committee of the Legislative Council for funding
approval of public projects. During the year we reviewed 220
such submissions. This facilitates sustainable development
by integrating environmental considerations into the decision-making
process.
Image
of The Second Railway Development Study
We also
managed a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of the
Second Railway Development Study, which was completed in May
2000. The SEA suggested ways to avoid environmentally unacceptable
alignments at the early stage and avoid intrusion into environmentally
sensitive areas. The SEA also confirmed and highlighted the
environmental benefits of the proposed rail strategy, providing
environmental reasons for supporting railway development even
though it is not always financially attractive. The SEA also
identified strategic follow-up actions required and highlighted
the key environmental issues for each railway scheme so that
they can be incorporated into and addressed during the detailed
design stage.
In October
2000 we issued a study brief on the strategic environmental
assessment of the upcoming "Hong Kong 2030: Planning, Vision
and Strategy", which will update the existing physical planning
framework and guide the long term development of Hong Kong.
Pollution
cannot be contained by borders or administrative boundaries.
The EPD works closely with the international community and
with other administrations to preserve our environment. In
2000, we completed a stocktaking of the HKSAR's greenhouse
gas emissions such as carbon dioxide, as an initial step towards
formulating a greenhouse gas policy. On a regional basis,
we participate actively in the Joint Working Group on Sustainable
Development and Environmental Protection and its related Special
Panels, through which officials from the Hong Kong and Guangdong
Governments work together to address regional pollution problems.
Both Governments are implementing action plans with regular
audits to protect the Deep Bay and Mirs Bay environs.
| In
2000 the controlling officers of all government departments
and bureaus were required to start reporting on their
environmental impacts and performance on an annual basis,
fulfilling a pledge made by the Chief Executive in his
1998 Policy Address. The EPD set up a helpdesk that assisted
more than 100 users from 38 government departments in
compiling the reports. Almost everybody completed their
first reports during the year, demonstrating their commitment
to being transparent and accountable about environmental
issues. These reports are listed on the EPD's website
http://www.info.gov.hk/epd.
In 2001 we will review the results and facilitate the
sharing of experiences, with the aim of improving environmental
reporting in the public sector. We will also encourage
the private sector to produce environmental reports. |
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