ENG-1997 — Page 463

THE ENVIRONMENT

Protecting the Environment

The Administrative Framework

The Planning, Environment and Lands Bureau of the Government Secretariat has overall policy responsibility for the environment.

The EPD is responsible for pollution control and environmental management. Its tasks include: providing advice on policy; implementing programmes; environmental planning and assessment; enforcing and reviewing the effectiveness of all environmental legislation; planning and developing facilities for liquid and solid waste disposal; and promoting the concept and practice of environmental audit and environmental management systems.

The Agriculture and Fisheries Department is the main agency for nature and wildlife conservation. Its duties cover: designating and managing country parks, which cover some 40 per cent of Hong Kong's land area; designating and managing marine parks; identifying and protecting areas of conservation importance; enforcing legislation for the protection of flora and fauna; reviewing and examining ecological aspects of environmental impact studies and planning studies; and promoting conservation education and public awareness of nature conservation.

Other departments also play an important part in protecting the environment. Planning for future land use and controlling developments in the urban and rural areas is undertaken by the Planning Department. The Drainage Services Department, assisted by the Territory Development Department, designs, builds, operates and maintains sewerage and sewage treatment and disposal facilities. The Urban and Regional Services Departments provide refuse collection services and maintain environmental hygiene. The Civil Engineering Department provides public fill outlets for inert construction waste disposal. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department promotes energy efficiency and conservation. The Marine Department clears floating refuse and oil from the harbour and enforces the law on oil pollution.

Planning Against Pollution

The past decade has seen great achievements in Hong Kong's efforts to pre-empt environmental problems through the application of an environmental impact assessment process (EIA) to policy, planning and project proposals. Hong Kong's EIA system is on a par with those in other advanced communities. The environmental impact assessment process has now entered the highest level of decision making in the Executive Council and the Public Works Sub-committee (PWSC) of the Legislative Council's Finance Committee. Major development and policy proposals to the Executive Council that are likely to bring about a significant cost or benefit to the environment, and all PWSC submissions, must contain an assessment of environmental implications.

Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance

The Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance, which formalises and strengthens the existing environmental impact assessment arrangements, was enacted on February 5, 1997. 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. The Legislative Council also approved, in June 1997, a technical memorandum on environmental impact

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