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THE ENVIRONMENT
environmental issues and all submissions to the Public Works Subcommittee of the Legislative Council's Finance Committee must contain an assessment of the environmental implications.
Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance
The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) came into effect on April 1, 1998. It provides a systematic, clear and transparent framework for assessing the environmental impacts arising from major development projects and for implementing effective prevention and mitigation measures. It is supplemented by a technical memorandum setting out clear, consistent technical guidelines and criteria. Information on applications made under the ordinance is available at the Government's Internet home page. Since the implementation of the ordinance, 47 EIA reports have been approved and over one million people and many ecologically sensitive areas are protected against unacceptable environmental impacts.
Environmental Monitoring and Audit
Environmental monitoring and audit (EM&A) is an integral part of the EIA process to validate the assumptions made in the planning stage and to monitor the effectiveness of prescribed mitigation measures during project implementation. This is to ensure that every project delivers the environmental performance promised in the impact assessments. In 2001, the EPD managed about 163 EM&A programmes for major projects.
Starting from 1999, the EPD has been promoting EM&A reporting through the Internet the Cyber EIA Process under EIAO. Project proponents are encouraged to set up a dedicated web site to present their project information including EM&A data and results in multimedia format. The web-based reporting enables easier access to information on environmental performance and has enhanced public participation in the monitoring of the EIA process.
Land Use Planning
The process extends into land use planning with the application of the environmental planning standards and guidelines. The Advisory Council on the Environment considered the results of a strategic environmental assessment of the Territorial Development Strategy Review in 1996. In 1997, the Planning Department began further studies on some strategic growth areas that the review identified. Some of the EIAS completed in recent years have identified major environmental issues and possible mitigation measures for integration into more detailed land use plans.
Environmental Sustainability
The assessment of the Territorial Development Strategy showed that continuing urbanisation would be likely to have implications on air and water quality, increase public exposure to noise and overload Hong Kong's waste disposal capacity. While the timely provision of resources and environmental mitigation measures could resolve some of these issues, others may require fundamental reconsideration of the proposals' implications on Hong Kong's long-term sustainability. The issue of environmental sustainability is being revisited in the new round of review of the Territorial Development Strategy (known as the Hong Kong 2030: Planning Vision and Strategy) that began in September 2000.