(11 Dec 2016) 24 groups and academics who are concerned about Hong Kong's environment and conservation policies are the first to make green policy recommendations to the next Chief Executive contenders. The group suggests 10 major policies including bettering rural planning and conservation, supporting of the energy saving industry, boosting local agriculture, adopting a pedestrian-oriented community planning and reducing the reliance of Dongjian water.
The green policy recommendations are initiatedby The Conservancy Association, WWF-Hong Kong, Greenpeace, Clear Air Network and The Green Earth. The advocacy has been presented to Woo Kwok-hing and a number of think tanks. There will be a plan for a forum on Chief Executive election again when more contenders have formally announced their candidacy.
“Some people have a misperception that green groups are against development. However, the development-oriented planning model of Hong Kong has overloaded the capacity of our environment, compromising the quality of our life and ecosystem.” The spokesperson of the concern group said. Their advocacy, titled “Green our city for people”, was highlighted in Wang Chau, the place at the center of recent housing development controversy, signifying their call for the next Chief Executive to rectify the ethics of development, to use resource wisely and improve the quality of life.
The spokesperson stressed that these green policy recommendations are not a “wish list” of green groups, but solutions for current problem of the society. The groups proposed prioritizing brownfield development and establishing a statutory conservation trust to better the rural planning. In order to mitigate climate change, the groups suggested developing energy saving industry and green economy, and increasing the share of renewable energy generation. Facing the condition that the unit price of Dongjiang water, comprising over 70% of local water supply, might be comparable to that of seawater desalination in the next term of Chief Executive, not to say the deficit of Dongjiang water under climate change, increasing the proportion of local water supply should be worked out as soon as possible.
10 Green Policy Recommendations for the next Chief Executive
1. Protect countryside and green areas, prioritize brownfield development
2. Establish a statutory conservation trust, boost local agriculture
3. Adopt pedestrian-oriented community planning
4. Promote electronic road pricing
5. Strive for over 50% local water supply
6. Improve energy-saving industry
7. Develop renewable energy
8. Speed up the implementation of waste charging by volume
9. Support sustainable trade and consumption
10. Establish Marine Protected Areas covering at least 10% Hong Kong waters
Policy recommendations suggested by:
Urban planning: The Conservancy Association, WWF-Hong Kong
Waste management: The Green Earth, Green Power, Greeners Action
Nature conservation: WWF-Hong Kong
Climate & energy: Greenpeace, WWF-Hong Kong
Air: Clean Air Network
Water resource: The Green Earth
Co-signatories:
350 HK, ADM Capital Foundation, League of Land Justice, The Professional Commons,Liber Research Community, WWF-Hong Kong, Save Lantau Alliance, The Conservancy Association, Friends of the Earth (HK), HKWildlife.net, Hong Kong Shark Foundation, The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, Clean Air Network, Designing Hong Kong, Grebbish, Green Power, Greenpeace, Wherevergreen, The Green Earth, Greeners Action, Water for free, Green Sense, Dr. Y.S. Frederick Lee, Dr. Mah Ngar-yin Daphne
Press Enquiries:
Waste and water resource: The Green Earth Hahn Chu 3708 8380
Air: Clean Air Network Loong Tsz Wai 6256 2928
Land use planning: The Conservancy Association Roy Ng 2728 6781
Climate and energy: Greenpeace Frances Yeung 2854 8300
Nature conservation: WWF-HK Dr Michael Lau 2161 9609
Attachment:
1. CE Election Green Policy Recommendation
2. Group photo of co-signatories
3. Group photo of 5 co-organizers (The Conservancy Association, WWF-Hong Kong, Greenpeace, Clear Air Network and The Green Earth)
