TNAG-2789-FCO40-4028-Future-of-Hong-Kong-1993 — Page 145

DEPENDENT TERRITORIES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Draft paper for the Board of Management

Intro

* Recent growth in international interest in environmental issues (Rio etc)

* Short statement of HMG policy and expectations

* Relevance to the DTs: Agenda 21 and Sustainable Development; GEF; vulnerability to climate change; source of biodiversity; regional environment programmes; existing and future obligations

(reporting/financial);

developmental issues

The Rio Process

DTS status in UK report to SDC;

* UNCED conclusions (including Agenda 21, forestry, desertification)

* Climate Change convention (commitments)

* Biodiversity Convention (commitments)

Other environment conventions/agreements

* Montreal; Basel; Espoo etc (extent to which DTs have ratified or need to consider doing so)

* Conference on sustainable development of small island developing states

Wildlife/conservation

* UNEP regional seas programme (Caribbean Environment Programme, South Pacific Regional Environment Programme)

* Ramsar convention/World Heritage Convention/ World Biosphere convention (progress on designating sites in DTs)

* CITES

The special case of Hong Kong

* Hong Kong responsibilities as a significant emitter of greenhouse gases

* Implications of 1997 on signature/ratification/ implementation of environment treaties