In response to the 2018-19 Budget as announced by the government, Green Sense’s response is as followed:

Subsidizing Ocean Park

The government plans to appropriate over $300 million to Ocean Park over the coming few years, while Ocean Park will offer 10,000 free entrance tickets to primary and secondary school students. However, there have been lots of criticisms against Ocean Park. It buys animals from other countries, traps them and forces them to perform – these are not what a proper educator should do. Encouraging students to visit Ocean Park is equal to instilling wrong environmental values and life values to the next generation actively. In face of lots of environmental issues, it is very disappointing to see the government using taxpayers’ money to subsidize such an entity instead of devoting resources to the education system for environmental protection education directly.

Green Bonds

The government intends to issue green bonds and the sums will be credited to the Capital Works Reserve Fund (CWRF) to provide funding for “green public works projects”  of the government. But there is no clear definition of “green public works projects”, and the public can never know what such projects are. The government usually adopts an all-or-nothing approach in seeking funds from LegCo. There are quite some controversial projects in such projects, such as Lung Kwu Tan, Siu Ho Wan and Wang Chau. The environment is thus damaged, and the extent of lawmakers’ supervision over these projects is disproportionate. “Green public works projects” is likely an empty concept, and the funds might eventually be used for more “white elephant” projects.

“One-for-one” replacement for new electric private car; extension of first registration tax concessions

The roadside emission of electric private car is lower than ordinary cars, but they still take up road spaces and cause traffic congestion. In terms of energy efficiency, electric car cannot be compared with public transportation. The government has no measures to force drivers to give up driving or to control car toll growth. This is disappointing in the perspective of improving air pollution and improving traffic efficiency.

Lok Ma Chau loop

The habitat there is valuable. We express our deepest regret as the government insists on developing tech and education facilities with Shenzhen there and damaging the natural environment there.

We first arrived at Lok Ma Chau Garden and had a glance of the Loop. Following the border line towards the east, the tour was finished at Ho Sheung Heung. At the end of the border where the old Shenzhen River was just in front us, we were amazed by its peacefulness. Throughout the journey, Roy introduced different animal and plant species with their distinct characteristics. After this guided tour, we could have a better grasp of the current situation of Lok Ma Chau Loop and the potential changes after the development.

The Planning Department aims to develop the Loop for higher education complemented by high-tech research. Yet, the necessity is controversial. The government claimed that the development will not bring in unacceptable environmental harm on the Loop, where reedbed habitat will be set up as a mitigation. Yet, the sufficiency of such mitigation area is a matter to concern. Moreover, the development might also disturb the flying pathway of birds or the crossing path of small mammals. The usefulness of the remedy plan for government is sceptical.

As the Loop is at the heart of the border, once if we loss this buffer zone, the problems of urbanization bring along will directly affect the nearby countryside. HKSAR Government keeps emphasizing the cooperation between HK and Shenzhen should be enhanced for our mutual benefit. But such development plan is not only damaging our natural habitat but also lead to a concern about the entry and exit of Chinese citizen and the foreigners through the border. The Government should response properly to these questions before they take any further action.

More about the Planning and Engineering Study on Development of Lok Ma Chau: http://www.pland.gov.hk/pland_en/p_study/comp_s/lmcloop/eng/index.html

Please stay tuned on our next “Monthly Green” activity! See you next time!

Highlights can be viewed at the photo gallery: https://flic.kr/s/aHskUv1ky7

[1] The signing of the “Memorandum of Understanding on Jointly Developing the Lok Ma Chau Loop by Hong Kong and Shenzhen” on 3rd Jan 2017 assure the jointly development of the Hong Kong/Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park.

]]> http://greensense.org.hk/en/2017/05/%e5%a4%9a%e8%ac%9d%e5%8f%83%e5%8a%a0%e7%92%b0%e4%bf%9d%e8%a7%b8%e8%a6%ba%e3%80%8c%e6%af%8f%e6%9c%88%e7%b6%a0%e8%81%9a%e3%80%8d5%e6%9c%886%e6%97%a5/feed/ 0 http://greensense.org.hk/en/2017/04/%e7%92%b0%e4%bf%9d%e8%a7%b8%e8%a6%ba%e3%80%8c%e6%af%8f%e6%9c%88%e7%b6%a0%e8%81%9a%e3%80%8d%e2%80%94-5%e6%9c%88%e8%90%bd%e9%a6%ac%e6%b4%b2%e6%b2%b3%e5%a5%97%e9%82%8a%e5%a2%83%e9%81%8a/ http://greensense.org.hk/en/2017/04/%e7%92%b0%e4%bf%9d%e8%a7%b8%e8%a6%ba%e3%80%8c%e6%af%8f%e6%9c%88%e7%b6%a0%e8%81%9a%e3%80%8d%e2%80%94-5%e6%9c%88%e8%90%bd%e9%a6%ac%e6%b4%b2%e6%b2%b3%e5%a5%97%e9%82%8a%e5%a2%83%e9%81%8a/#comments Fri, 07 Apr 2017 09:18:17 +0000 editor http://greensense.org.hk/?p=2813

Recently, HKSAR Government announced the jointly development of “HK/Shenzhen Innovation and Technology Park” in Lok Ma Chau Loop. However, the Loop is the ecological corridor of Mai Po and Hoo Hok Wai farmland and fish ponds. It is also the path migrating birds passing through. What and How would the Loop environment be affected by this development project?

Green Sense Chief Executive Roy Tam is going to explore the Lok Ma Chau Loop with you, introducing the ecological environment and sharing his view of the Park.

Details of Exploring the Edge:
Date: 6th May 2017 (Saturday)
Time: 2pm – 5:30pm (3.5 hours)
Assembly Point: Yuen Long West Rail Station Exit C
Admission: Free
Route: B1 Bus from Yuen Long Station＞Lok Ma Chau Police Station＞Lok Ma Chau Loop＞Ho Sheung Heung
Enroll: https://www.eventbrite.hk/e/33486083778

For any enquiry, please contact Ms. Ma at 81004877.

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