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Among them are the introduction of comprehensive pollution control programmes and the policy backing for them contained in the 1989 White Paper on the Environment.
"All these programmes are now well underway. The Third White Paper Review reported that of the 132 targets we set for ourselves, we either have achieved or are well on our way to achieving 90 per cent of them," he said.
Looking ahead, Mr Leung said the EPD would have to champion an even more impossible mission in the years to come as the community had increasing expectations for a higher quality of life, both in economic and environmental terms.
"Finding a balance which meets these expectations in a sustainable manner will be a great challenge," he said.
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The Department was already under pressure to tackle new and more challenging issues for promoting environmental sustainability the development of waste reduction initiatives, strengthening of environmental impact assessment requirements, reduction in air pollution from diesel vehicles and promotion of an improved community environmental ethic, he said.
"I am confident that the department will face up to its future challenges bravely and will once again turn an impossible task into one to be proud of." he said.
Mr Leung paid tribute also to the green groups for their contributions on the environmental front.
He said he believed full co-operation and understanding between the green groups and the Government would be the more effective way to better achieving environmental goals in future, particularly in the area of sustainable development.
"I will ensure that the Government will listen carefully to the views of the green groups and involve them in our planning and discussion process.
"I would like to see that our environmental work and achievements are not that of Government alone, but of the entire community of Hong Kong," Mr Leung said.
Also speaking at the cocktail reception, the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Stuart Reed, said he was optimistic that Hong Kong would be in a position to tackle the environmental challenges ahead because of the development of a substantial body of environmental professionals and technicians, both in the Government and the private sector, over the past 20 years.