White Paper on Environment
Introduction
The 1989 White Paper (Pollution in Hong Kong - a time to act) contained a promise that reviews of progress would be conducted every two years. Reviews were prepared and published in 1991, 1993 and 1996. This is the fourth and the last review.
2. The First Review in 1991 summarised progress during the first two years of the programme, noting that action in most areas (with the exception of water pollution control measures) was proceeding in an encouraging way. The Second Review (1993), a more comprehensive document emphasized that protecting and sustaining the environment was a responsibility, not of some particular sector of society, but of all of us. The Third Review was aimed at arousing the public's awareness of the concept of sustainability. It contributed to informing the public and stimulating their debate on various environmental issues.
3. This Fourth Review takes stock of progress made towards targets set out in the 1989 White Paper, and the additional targets set in the subsequent reviews; presents plans under each functional programme area of air, water, noise and waste; pursues the concept of sustainable development and addresses Hong Kong's contributions to regional environmental protection.
Outline of the Fourth Review
4. This review comprises two main parts:
- A checklist of progress against targets set out in the 1989 White Paper and the three previous reviews (Annex A); and
- A summary of the main measures already planned to be carried out in the next two years (Annex B).
Checklist of Progress Against Targets
5. The checklist reports progress on 79 items of which 90% were completed since the last review. The table below summarizes the situation.
| Targets | No. of Targets | Percentage Completed |
|---|---|---|
Targets set out in the 1989 White Paper:
|
119 114 117 |
96% 98% |
New initiatives proposed in the 2nd Review:
|
89 75 85 |
84% 96% |
Further commitments made in the 3rd Review:
|
28 26 |
93% |
Plans for Environmental Protection and Conservation
6. The main actions for the next two years are presented in the forms of integrated plans which cover the following key issues:
- planning against pollution, including implementing the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance;
- prevention and control of air, water and noise pollution, outlining the current progress of various control strategies and forthcoming plans to improve environmental quality;
- waste management strategies focusing on the Waste Reduction Plan;
- progress on conservation of energy, natural environment and biodiversity;
- community awareness and environmental education as well as support to industry;
- implementation of the polluter pays principle and use of economic instruments for environmental protection; and
- update on regional co-operation, including the work done by the Hong Kong-Guangdong Environmental Protection Liaison Group and participation in international fora such as APEC
7. The summary highlights the scale of various environmental programmes and actions now being pursued; the practical, social and political issues faced in pursuing them; and the need to press ahead to complete all current tasks while at the same time looking beyond the present programmes.
The Way Forward
8. This is the last review of the 1989 White Paper. Apart from providing a basis for the preparation and discussion of our strategic environmental policy options for the next century, it also serves as the precursor to the next White Paper on the Environment - Hong Kong's Agenda 21.
9. The next White Paper will be the blueprint for the preparation of strategies, plans and policies for sustainable development in the 21st Century. The findings and recommendations of the SUSDEV 21 Study will fit into the framework of Hong Kong's Agenda 21.
