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Strategic Environmental Assessment: Where does Hong Kong stand?: 

Strategic Environmental Assessment: Where does Hong Kong stand? LAM Kin Che Chairman, Advisory Council on the Environment Head, Department of Geography and Resource Management, CUHK Workshop on Strategic Environmental Assessment 18 June 2005

The Whole World is on SEA: 

The Whole World is on SEA EU directive (2001) China EIA Law (2002) World Bank UNEP IAIA Prague SEA Workshop

The Whole World is on SEA: 

The Whole World is on SEA SEA is good and necessary Solution to limitations of project based EIAs Effective, relevant and accountable Towards sustainability

Hong Kong Can’t Do Without SEA : 

Hong Kong Can’t Do Without SEA Hong Kong 2030 Planning Study Lantau Concept Plan Air quality in PRD HK has a long way to go!

Challenges & Opportunities: 

Challenges & Opportunities Aspiration for quality of life Builds on experiences Territorial Development Strategy Review 3rd Comprehensive Transport Study 2nd Railway Development Study World Bank Training Workshop in China Mainland China – SEA is embedded in EIA Law 2002

Need for SEA in Hong Kong: 

Need for SEA in Hong Kong To address unresolved environmental issues Regional problems Cross sectoral issues

Slide7: 

(Ming Pao, 26 Jan 2004)

Need of SEA for Hong Kong: 

Need of SEA for Hong Kong To address unresolved environmental issues Regional problems Cross sectoral issues Changing role of HK in PRD Manufacturing base or service centre Tourism and eco-tourism World City – global citizen

Expectations of the EA Process: 

Expectations of the EA Process Project Appraisal

Need for SEA in Hong Kong: 

Need for SEA in Hong Kong Addressing limitations of project EIA Cumulative impacts Comprehensive view of developments Development options and alternatives Towards sustainability, better governance and more coherent policies

Hurdles and Constraints : 

Hurdles and Constraints Institution Building Transboundary collaboration Cross-sectoral: Bureaux and Secretaries Greater public participation and transparency Ownership Stakeholders to buy in Capacity Building Practitioners Public Methodology SEA Follow-up QA/QC

Hurdles and Constraints: 

Hurdles and Constraints Public Participation / Empowerment Public engagement strategy Early Reach out to all sectors Enable the public Make the public your “free consultants”

Hurdles and Constraints: 

Hurdles and Constraints Transparency Sustainability paragraph in EXCO papers CASET Assumptions Clarification of values (hidden) and trade-offs How much the public is informed of the advice from the environmental and sustainability perspectives? The sustainability assessment should be conducted at the early planning stage of a proposal. It should help scope out cross-sectoral issues and sensitive areas that require special attention or joint departmental examination at an early stage. It should also facilitate the relevant Bureaux or Departments to resolve the issues through a concerted effort. With effect from April 2002, include in their submissions to the Executive Council (ExCo) and/or the Chief Secretary's Committee (now the Policy Committee) the sustainability assessment findings or results of their proposals. Extracted fron SDU webpage

The Weakest Link : Buying-in: 

The Weakest Link : Buying-in Resistance Political complexity Fear of power sharing Difference mode of governance “Bad” experience of public consultation

Ideology of Governance: 

Ideology of Governance

The Weakest Link : Buying-in: 

The Weakest Link : Buying-in How to win their support? Address some “bad” public participation experience Let them see the positive side Early buy-in => less resistance and greater certainty in project planning Good for the society, good for the government

Conclusion: 

Conclusion The whole world is on SEA There is a strong case for SEA in HK Hong Kong has considerable experience We still have a long way to go Institution building, capacity building, public engagement, increasing transparency Key stakeholders must buy in We cannot afford not to do SEA