WWF s Recommendations for the Policy Address Turning conservation into opportunities for growth and quality living

Transcription

1 WWF s Recommendations for the Policy Address Turning conservation into opportunities for growth and quality living SUMMARY TRANSFORMING HONG KONG INTO A LOW CARBON CITY 1. Adopt an ambitious target to cut absolute GHG emissions of 25% by 2020 from 1990 levels under 2 o C scenario, followed by practical measures and sufficient public education. 2. Establish a Low Carbon City Development Council, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration within to plan and transform Hong Kong into a low carbon city. 3. Hong Kong should set up a city-wide energy consumption reduction target and impose Demand Side Management measures on the power sector through government regulation and legislation, such as monetary incentive scheme, carbon taxation and end-user or appliance rebates. 4. Speed up the progress of other energy efficiency measures 5. Provide incentives for behavioral changes 6. Explore economic and job opportunities to be created in the cross-border Low Carbon City initiatives. 7. Motivate and assist participating companies of the Cleaner Production scheme to measure their carbon emissions through subsidizing energy and carbon audit, carbon emissions monitoring programme participation fee, or providing incentives for retrofitting with renewable energy facilities or improved energy efficiency equipments in order to encourage companies to migrate to the Low Carbon manufacturing practices. 8. Set up a HK$100 million fund to subsidize SMEs to measure their carbon emissions generated from business operations and switch to low carbon operation practices. WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 1

2 9. Draft legislation to encourage the commercial sector, especially the top energy consumers of Hong Kong to conduct carbon cum energy audit and reporting NATURE CONSERVATION FRAMEWORK FOR HONG KONG 1. Develop and implement a comprehensive and robust Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (the Plan) for Hong Kong in accordance with the Convention on Biological Diversity, based on the framework and timeline drafted by Civic Exchange and supporting organizations. 2. Involve the community in the active formulation of this Plan, as encouraged by the Convention, in order to make best use of local expertise and to ensure public support for the Plan s implementation. EXTENSION OF COUNTRY PARKS TO COVER ENCLAVES OF HIGH CONSERVATION VALUE 1. Facilitate and speed up the process of extending Plover Cove Country Park to include the enclaves in Northeast New Territories. 2. Extend Pat Sin Leng Country Park to cover biodiversity hotspot Sha Lo Tung which is the best local site for dragonflies including Hong Kong endemic species. 3. High level support within the Government and additional resources, including manpower, for the Environment Bureau are essential for this framework to be developed and implemented successfully. DEVELOPING HONG KONG INTO A WORLD-CLASS MARINE ECO-TOURISM HUB 1. Formulate a holistic marine eco-tourism policy and a comprehensive plan of alternative livelihoods for the fishing community under the principle of sustainable development. 2. Provide sufficient regulatory and financial support for such a plan. 3. Make a clear commitment to implement those recommendations listed in the Committee on Sustainable Fisheries report related to reducing fishing effort and alternative livelihoods plans. 4. Implement the ban of commercial fishing in all marine parks by the end of 2013 in parallel with the provision of ex gratia payments and creation of new job opportunities from recreational activities WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 2

3 HOLISTIC MARINE SPATIAL PLANNING 1. Carry out a marine spatial planning study as part of the statutory process for developing/conserving the sea which includes protected areas in which commercial and recreational fishing is prohibited covering at least 10 per cent of Hong Kong sea area by Establish an Effective Marine Protected Area network by quickly establishing new marine parks in West Lantau and the Sokos. A SPECIES MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE CHINESE WHITE DOLPHIN 1. Establish A well-established Species Management Plan in line with CBD and international best practice will provide clear directions for government departments, as well as scientists, NGOs and the local community to conserve this declining species. NO-SHARK FIN GOVERNMENT DINING POLICY 1. Set up an internal dining policy to halt the consumption of shark fin and other shark products in any of the HKSAR Government official dinning events, until shark fisheries can be compatible with the principle of sustainable use. I WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 3

4 Introduction Conservation is not just about spending public money and resources. In a small and compact city where space can be an expensive commodity, the public are increasingly more aware of conserving the natural environment being core to quality living. Good planning to balance population and economic growth and social demand for quality living, and, turning conservation into other growth opportunities is key to success. Our living environment is not of less importance as we breathe and live in it. We hope the Chief Executive will deliver a win-win situation for all in his 2013 Policy Address, without neglecting or missing opportunities to conserve our environment when we can. Environment must be integrated with all the other issues in analyzing the risks and opportunities this city faces. WWF would like to present our recommendations on how Hong Kong can continue to thrive through a series of green opportunities. Sustainable Development & Policy Integration a policy vision and framework is needed to address cumulative and strategic environmental impacts across multiple development projects WWF believes that some of the recent debate on whether Hong Kong should favour development or the environment is misconceived. Development and conservation do not exist in isolation. They are both important and contribute to the growth and wellbeing of a society. Development alone does not guarantee quality of life, while an unhealthy and degraded environment almost guarantees a poor quality of living. Development which pays little or no regard to the impact it has on the natural environment and the resources it consumes is likely to be unsustainable. The onus is on the regulator the government to set the rules of game to ensure that good practices are in place to balance conflicting interests and achieve sustainable development. Transforming Hong Kong into a Low Carbon City 1. Adopt an ambitious target to cut absolute GHG emissions of 25% by 2020 from 1990 levels under 2 o C scenario, followed by practical measures and sufficient public education. 2. Establish a Low Carbon City Development Council, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration within to plan and transform Hong Kong into a low carbon city. Hong Kong has the ability and responsibility to commit to an ambitious emissions reduction target, achieving a higher reduction in carbon intensity for more than 45% WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 4

5 by 2020 based on 2005 level. Cooperation between different bureaus is critical to the success of any major conservation initiatives. In the case of climate, Environment Bureau, Development Bureau and Transport Bureau are key government bodies to work towards Hong Kong s goal to become a low carbon city. Buildings contribute 40% of Hong Kong s overall carbon emissions, while transport contributes 15%. 3. Hong Kong should set up a city-wide energy consumption reduction target and impose Demand Side Management measures on the power sector through government regulation and legislation, such as monetary incentive scheme, carbon taxation and end-user or appliance rebates. Energy Efficiency Management is key to reducing emissions given the limited fuel mix options that are available for Hong Kong and the increasing pressure on tariff. To achieve a significant reduction in GHGs, solutions should not be limited to Supply Side Management only, such as changing fuel mix by simply increasing the proportion of natural gas and nuclear power. Demand Side Management (DSM) is an important and practical approach to allow Hong Kong to set an ambitious reduction target for its emissions. Governments of many countries mandated performance of various DSM initiatives after the 1973 energy crisis. The United States introduced the National Energy Conservation Policy Act in 1978, after similar actions in California and Wisconsin back in The 1978 Act required utilities to provide residential consumers with energy conservation audits and other services to encourage slower growth of electricity demand. According to California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and the California Energy Commission, a reduction of energy costs for individual and businesses by US$56 billion up to 2006 is resulted since the introduction of the Act and these standards are expected to save another US$23 billion by Speed up the progress of other energy efficiency measures The Government should also review and tighten the minimum energy efficiency standards in the newly enacted Buildings Energy Efficiency Ordinance (Cap. 610) every two to three years with reference to green building tools, such as BEAMplus or other international standards. The Government should broaden the coverage of appliances categories under the mandatory labeling scheme from the current 5 categories to 10 categories by Ten categories represent almost 100% of residential electricity consumption. 5. Provide incentives for behavioral changes Similar to some practices adopted in other Asian countries, the Government should provide monetary incentives for citizens to save energy, such as rebates in electricity tariff for decrease in electricity use. WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 5

6 6. Explore economic and job opportunities to be created in the cross-border Low Carbon City initiatives. Hong Kong is also liable for the emissions produced by the HK manufacturers in Pearl River Delta. The low carbon manufacturing process will enhance the competitiveness of HK manufacturers and prepare them for the tightened environmental requirements in response to climate change from the European and the US buyers. Hong Kong companies and investments can play a crucial role in technology development and advancement for many of low-carbon city initiatives, such as renewable energy, retrofitting, carbon audit, etc. 7. Motivate and assist participating companies of the Cleaner Production scheme to measure their carbon emissions through subsidizing energy and carbon audit, carbon emissions monitoring programme participation fee, or providing incentives for retrofitting with renewable energy facilities or improved energy efficiency equipments in order to encourage companies to migrate to the Low Carbon manufacturing practices. The Cleaner Production Partnership Programme has been operational for five years and now it is time for participated companies to advance to managing carbon emissions. WWF has also made a similar recommendation to the Guangdong Government. We believe, this initiative could be implemented under the Hong Kong Guangdong Cooperation Framework Agreement to improve CO2 emissions in the Pearl River Delta region. 8. Set up a HK$100 million fund to subsidize SMEs to measure their carbon emissions generated from business operations and switch to low carbon operation practices. The current ECF-funded CarbonSmart Programme is a great start to the right direction. However, the HK$6 million-worth matching fund will only benefit a maximum of 200 companies, out of the 400,000 SMEs in HK. This fails to mobilize a critical mass of companies to act on carbon audit and sustain the reduction effort, not to mention to facilitate the development of related environmental industries. 9. Draft legislation to encourage the commercial sector, especially the top energy consumers of Hong Kong to conduct carbon cum energy audit and reporting As revealed by WWF s Hong Kong Energy Index in 2011, the commercial sector (in particular the shopping malls, hotels, school campuses and retail stores) has the greatest surge in energy wastage of an average of 40% over the past 18 years. This can be partially explained by the ever increasing lighting and over-cooling per unit floor compares with the 90s. It is the right time to require these Big Spenders to shoulder their corporate social and environmental responsibility to measure and WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 6

7 report their energy consumption, and through the process to foster significant improvement on reducing energy wastage. Nature Conservation Framework for Hong Kong 1. Develop and implement a comprehensive and robust Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (the Plan) for Hong Kong in accordance with the Convention on Biological Diversity, based on the framework and timeline drafted by Civic Exchange and supporting organizations. 2. Involve the community in the active formulation of this Plan, as encouraged by the Convention, in order to make best use of local expertise and to ensure public support for the Plan s implementation. 3. High level support within the Government and additional resources, including manpower, for the Environment Bureau are essential for this framework to be developed and implemented successfully. WWF welcomes and supports the Government s decision to extend the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to Hong Kong. To fully guide the Government and the local legislature to deliver the objectives and targets set in the CBD, WWF together with 23 other groups look forward to the establishment of a Nature Conservation Framework for Hong Kong based on the Convention on Biological Diversity.1 Recent steps by the Government to protect the Country Park enclaves, to tighten controls on rural development, and restore the marine environment through the trawl ban have gathered strong public support. Drawing full guidance from the CBD, we can build a strategic framework to strengthen the impacts of these very positive measures, and relieve growing public concerns over threats to sites such as Nam Sang Wai, Tai Long Sai Wan and Lamma Island. A Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan built upon close collaboration between the Government, the environmental NGOs, academics and the public will be a powerful tool for protecting Hong Kong s biodiversity and high quality of life, and a key tool for sustainable development. Extension of Country Parks to Cover Enclaves of High Conservation Value 1. Facilitate and speed up the process of extending Plover Cove Country Park to include the enclaves in Northeast New Territories. 1 Civic Exchange Press Release on the Joint Statement: WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 7

8 2. Extend Pat Sin Leng Country Park to cover biodiversity hotspot Sha Lo Tung which is the best local site for dragonflies including Hong Kong endemic species. Hong Kong country park system is extensive, of the utmost importance to the conservation of the exceptionally rich biodiversity in Hong Kong and is of outstanding educational, leisure and recreational value to the people. However, it is also heavily biased towards hilly areas and many flat, lowland areas of high conservation value are not protected. The Chief Executive has stated in his Policy Manifesto the need to refine conservation and development of country parks and according to the need, to develop various kinds of reserves to expand the ecological capacity of Hong Kong. Developing Hong Kong into a world-class marine eco-tourism hub 1. Formulate a holistic marine eco-tourism policy and a comprehensive plan of alternative livelihoods for the fishing community under the principle of sustainable development. 2. Provide sufficient regulatory and financial support for such a plan. 3. Make a clear commitment to implement those recommendations listed in the Committee on Sustainable Fisheries report related to reducing fishing effort and alternative livelihoods plans. 4. Implement the ban of commercial fishing in all marine parks by the end of 2013 in parallel with the provision of ex gratia payments and creation of new job opportunities from recreational activities Fishermen urgently need regulatory support to switch jobs as a result of the trawling ban We congratulate the government s enactment of the recent trawl ban legislation which has set Hong Kong as a leading example for the region and the world. The trawl ban should mark the beginning of sustainable fisheries and create additional opportunities for eco-tourism development. Through a forum and one-on-one interviews conducted by WWF with the fishermen to be affected by the trawling ban, the major difficulty faced by them in switching to other marine-related alternative livelihoods (i.e. small boat fishing, eco-tourism and aquaculture) was identified as a lack of regulatory support from the Marine Department. In the past three years, the Marine Department has failed to provide any regulatory support to the fishing community which would enable them to switch to the opportunities the fishermen see in eco-tourism. Members of the Marine Department have taken overseas trips in the past years to learn about what other countries have WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 8

9 done to help fishermen switch to jobs in eco-tourism, however no policy action has been enacted to-date to facilitate change. The fishermen are extremely frustrated and feel that the Government has abandoned this sector and made no effort in preserving Hong Kong s important fishing culture and the fishing community s ongoing social and economic contribution to Hong Kong. Within the Government, none of the obvious potential departments (i.e. the Tourism Commission, Tourism Board, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department) has indicated any ownership in the overall development of marine-eco tourism related to the transformation of the fishing industry. WWF sees huge potential for Hong Kong to develop marine eco-tourism. We urge the government to immediately set up a cross-departmental unit to look into the development of marine eco-tourism and sustainable fisheries as well as the preservation and promotion of the local fishing culture in a holistic manner. Hong Kong lacks behind many governments in the Southeast Asia in eco-tourism development. Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines have started developing marine eco-tourism for decades and are attracting millions of visitors a year. For instance, Malaysia recorded a turnover of HK$121 million net profit for its Pulau Redang Marine Parks alone between 1995 and Hong Kong so far has failed to utilize its rich natural resources to reap the best gains for all, lacking both software (mindset changes) and hardware (built facilities). The trawling ban is going to affect about a thousand fishermen, making it the right time to act to stimulate our economy and create new jobs. After the ban of trawling, Hong Kong will witness the recovery of marine life in our seas, making us a great place for diving, recreational fishing, and other eco-tourism activities. Vast Economic and Job Opportunities The Hong Kong community has a sentimental and practical reason to sustain the local fisheries. Locally-produced fishery products are always desired by the local people, which also benefits our economy and reduce our reliance on imports and our ecological footprint. However, without sustainable practices to strike a balance between regeneration of marine resources and fishing, the long-term survival of this industry faces high risks. Sentimentally, the marine fishing industry is Hong Kong s cultural heritage. As it once contributed to our economic success and development, the government and the Hong Kong community has a moral responsibility to ensure its sustainable continuation with respect, instead of letting the industry to die quietly. Practically, we can reform the local fisheries to create vast and new economic opportunities and jobs. With limited investment for this rich city, we can achieve great and long-term economic, social and cultural benefits. Our beautiful coastlines are admired by everyone who visit and live in Hong Kong, while such places also serve as weekend escapes for locals. Alternative livelihoods Identified by CSF Report WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 9

10 After the release of Committee of Sustainable Fisheries (CSF) report in April 2010, the Government should formulate a comprehensive alternative livelihoods strategy to help deliver such a goal such as promoting the sustainable development of aquaculture and recreational fisheries, as well as eco-tourism etc. Many jobs can be easily created, particularly in the marine recreational industry provided that regulatory and financial support is in place. A study commissioned by WWF in 2007 suggests that Hong Kong could generate economic benefits exceeding $2.3 billion if sustainable fisheries management measures are adopted to reform the industry, including overall benefits of HK$ 600 million to the fishing community alone. With measures identified in the CSF report, the Government should now set a timetable of actions and evaluate the job opportunities to be created as a result of these measures. Marine reserves overseas have shown that effective no-take marine protected areas with healthy fish populations can create great leisure, cultural and education opportunities. According to the WWF-commissioned study, 54% of the fishing community are willing to switch away from fishing jobs, while 75% are willing to have their vessels bought by the government. Implementation of the Ban on Commercial Fishing in Marine Parks The Government should speed up the banning of commercial fishing in marine parks and fully implement the ban by Marine parks and geo parks offer great opportunities of eco-tourism. The pilot eco-tourism activities carried out by AFCD so far have been well received and proven successful. The banning of commercial fishing in marine parks and the designation of more marine parks will help fully utilize the potential of our nature for such sustainable economic activities enjoyed by both local and overseas visitors. Holistic Marine Spatial Planning 1. Carry out a marine spatial planning study as part of the statutory process for developing/conserving the sea which includes protected areas in which commercial and recreational fishing is prohibited covering at least 10 per cent of Hong Kong sea area by In Hong Kong, only less than 2% of marine water is designated as protected areas, with the rest of waters receive little or no protection. Many ecologically sensitive areas suffer from a lack of adequate policy legislation and management, while coastal development, habitat destruction (e.g. from reclamation) and degradation (worsen water quality due to dredging, filling and water pollution) are continuous threats. These threats have had a major and cumulative impact on the various marine species populations and habitats for years. WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 10

11 Recently, several public consultations on reclamation, such as Airport Expansion Third Runway Construction and 'Enhancing Land Supply Strategy' were launched and public s views on reclamation were generally not supportive. Reclamation is irreversible and highly destructive to the marine environment it will lead to permanent loss of marine habitats and fishing grounds, and potentially eradicating breeding, nursery and foraging grounds of marine life. It is necessary to take a proactive approach, e.g. sea use planning, so as to conserve our vulnerable sea before it s too late. Conserving Hong Kong s biodiversity requires protecting both individual species and the habitats upon which they depend. Land use planning has been adopted in Hong Kong for decades to ensure the proper use of terrestrial land with reference to the environment, habitat types and conservation values, However, there is no similar planning for the sea. In order to better conserve our valuable marine and seabed area and at the same time cater for growing human usage, the government should start the coastal and marine spatial planning exercise in order to strike a balance of seabed use between development and conservation of the sea in Hong Kong. This type of planning usually involves baseline assessment of coastal and marine environment, which further helps determine what uses are compatible / incompatible to the environment and to define which areas are best suited for protection, for fisheries, and which ones for development or heavy use. It is a critical coastal management tool for achieving sustainable development and has been widely used in countries like USA (Massachusetts and Rhode Island) and Belgium2. 2. Establish an Effective Marine Protected Area network by quickly establishing new marine parks in West Lantau and the Sokos. Supporting the Chief Executive s election pledge to expand coastal parks by phases and develop various kinds of reserves to expand the ecological capacity of Hong Kong, a marine protected area network will not only play a major role in restoring marine ecosystems, but showcase the social and education value of these natural treasures. This is also one of the measures to address the declining Chinese white dolphin population, and at the same time enhance marine life in a way that will bring benefits to the tourism and fisheries sectors. A Species Management Plan for the Chinese white dolphin 1. Establish A well-established Species Management Plan in line with CBD and international best practice will provide clear directions for government departments, as well as scientists, NGOs and the local community to conserve this declining species. 2 Accessed on 29 March WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 11

12 This will assist in formulating specific conservation objectives, identifying and addressing key information gaps, and the preparation of strategies to address the threats. The population of Chinese white dolphins in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) is unique. Not only it is the largest one remaining along China s coastline, the dolphins also inhabit one of the world s most congested areas. They have to endure very heavy marine traffic, serious water pollution (i.e. effluent discharge) and overfishing of their prey species. In addition, they have lost around 10% of their habitat through a series of past and ongoing reclamations. A recent government study reveals that the dolphin population in Hong Kong has dropped 50 percent since If effective measures are not developed to conserve these remaining individuals in the near future, the integrity and long term health of the dolphin communities in PRE region will be jeopardised. There is considerable urgency, therefore, to formulate a holistic and comprehensive cross-boundary Chinese white dolphin management plan to conserve this vulnerable population, which occurs from western Hong Kong waters to Moyangjiang in Guangdong, starting with a management plan for Hong Kong. No-shark Fin Government Dining Policy 1. Set up an internal dining policy to halt the consumption of shark fin and other shark products in any of the HKSAR Government official dinning events, until shark fisheries can be compatible with the principle of sustainable use. China's Government Offices Administration of the State Council (GOASC) will issue guidelines to ban serving shark fins at official receptions, as reported by Xinhua News on July 3. Despite being a small city, Hong Kong is the world s largest trading centre of shark fin, accounting for over 50% of the global trade, the vast majority of which is produced unsustainably, or even caught illegally. There is an increasing call for no shark fin consumption by not only WWF-Hong Kong but the wider community. WWF s Expectations for the Policy Address 12