Idea Transcript
CS' speech ********** Following is the speech (English only) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Donald Tsang, at the Hong Kong International Symposium on Sustainable Development this (June 10) morning: Professor Guthrie, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Introduction I am very pleased to welcome you all here this morning to take part in Hong Kong's first major international symposium on sustainable development. We are privileged to have a number of distinguished speakers from overseas, from the Mainland and from Macao and Hong Kong to share with us over the next couple of days their knowledge and experience in this field. I am sure that this will be a stimulating and rewarding event for all concerned. Much has been written about the importance of promoting sustainable development as one of the core values of modern and responsible society. It is quite another thing to put it into practice. Following the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, the United Nations promulgated a comprehensive blueprint for sustainable development in the form of Agenda 21. This document set out in considerable detail suggested parameters to be observed in pushing forward with social and economic development while ensuring proper conservation and management of our natural environment. Part of Agenda 21 deals with how to implement the principles laid down in the document. In particular, there are sections on how to develop partnerships for sustainability, promoting education and public awareness and institutional arrangements. This morning I would like to talk about the challenges we face in raising public awareness of the importance of sustainable development in Hong Kong. I would also like to briefly address the issue of building partnerships and putting effective institutions in place. Increasing Public Awareness Hong Kong's success as a leading economy has been built on a policy of allowing businesses, big and small, to get on with doing what they do best, without government interference or over-regulation. We have concentrated on providing the infrastructure to allow trade and commerce to flourish, and we have maintained a simple system of taxation. Although economic growth in Hong Kong has been affected by regional and global economic downturns in recent years, we remain one of the most prosperous and financially stable cities in Asia. But we also realise that Hong Kong needs to offer more than a sound economic environment if we are to maintain a high quality of life. This realization permeates Hong Kong society and resounds through a better educated, more widely traveled population which has become increasingly aware of the long-term effects of social fragmentation and lack of care for the natural environment. We are confronted with increasing amounts of data that highlight actual and potential problems in areas such as air quality and noise impact. Numerous surveys and studies point to changing attitudes to traditional social structures and family values. I am of course not suggesting that we should all go back to being simple farmers living in walled villages. We can all benefit from continued social and economic progress. But in pursuing further development, we need to be aware of the potential long-term social, economic and environmental impacts of our actions. Above all, we need to make informed choices that will promote development that is sustainable, and that will truly enhance the quality of our lives and that of our future generations. One of the challenges we face is getting a coherent and convincing message across to the general public. This is particularly difficult at a time when the economic fortunes are declining. People's thoughts are understandably more focused on how to improve their financial situation than on social problems and environmental concerns. Also, there is a general perception that sustainable development is synonymous with environmental protection, which means that there is a danger that the economic and social aspects of sustainability might be overlooked in promoting this concept. On top of this, the whole concept of sustainable development can be difficult to put into a language that can easily be accepted and understood by most people, including those in government. To overcome these challenges, we have adopted a multi-pronged approach. First, we are placing the emphasis on sustainability as a way of maintaining and improving our quality of life. In this regard, our message is that the continued success and prosperity of Hong Kong is not dependent solely on quantitative growth, but rather on qualitative and sustainable development. Further, we should not assume that preserving ecological balance and protecting the weaker members of society necessitate expensive economic trade-off. Rather, we should focus on the longer term economic benefits that will accrue from having a clean and pleasant city and an inclusive and harmonious society. Second, we aim to provide in an objective and clear fashion information on issues that affect Hong Kong's long-term sustainability. In many respects, sustainable development is about making choices about the kind of society we want for ourselves and for our children. For people to be able to understand the implications of these choices, it is essential that they be well informed about their potential impact. An example of this is the issue of the "polluter pays" principle as applied to sewage disposal charges. People may object initially to paying a few dollars per week for the disposal of waste water when such a service was previously provided free of charge. Many businesses might also feel aggrieved at the additional costs to their budget of paying for waste disposal. But if the polluter does not pay, then we are faced with one of two scenarios. One is that we do not have funding for high levels of sewage treatment, meaning that our waters become polluted, our natural environment suffers and our overall quality of life deteriorates - with implications for our attractiveness as a place to do business, as well as to live. The other scenario would see the government providing funding by reducing the services we provide in other areas, which would also have an effect on living standards. Remember: under the "polluter pays" principle, the polluter always has the option of reducing their costs by generating less waste. In fact, such a situation, that is, the overall reduction of waste, rather than the collection of high levels of charges for sewage disposal is the most desirable, and indeed sustainable long-term outcome of adopting the "polluter pays" principle. In our approach to public education on sustainable development, we are adopting one further key principle that is, long term sustainability is related to practices in our present everyday lives. In particular, we have begun to put the message across to young people that they can actually contribute through their actions to a better quality of life in the future. These actions range from simple methods of conserving water and energy, reducing waste and promoting social interaction to conducting projects to identify sustainability indicators and measure their progress against such yardsticks.
Educating the general public on the importance of sustainability is, like any other form of education, a life-long process. We hope that, by encouraging our young people to adopt and to promote sustainable practices at an early age, they will continue to develop these good habits throughout their adult lives. Building Partnerships In putting together our early programmes for public education, we have found that our efforts are enhanced considerably by having input and feedback from individuals and organizations from outside the government. As I mentioned earlier, one of the key areas covered by Agenda 21 deals with the issue of creating and nurturing partnerships in the promotion and practice of sustainable development. Indeed, according to the relevant section of Agenda 21: "Governments should take measures to encourage and enable partnership and dialogue between local non-government organizations and local authorities in activities aimed at sustainable development". There are many benefits in involving non-government organizations and even individuals in programmes aimed at promoting sustainable lifestyles. First, many non-government organizations have considerable experience, expertise and capacity in fields related to sustainable development, particularly in the environmental and social sectors. As such, they can provide valuable input and advice to local authorities in the implementation of initiatives aimed at enhancing long-term sustainability. Second, such organizations typically have strong connections at all strata of the community, in particular at the so-called "grass roots" level where the impacts of a non-sustainable approach to development are very often most acutely felt. Third, many non-government organizations have a strong international network that can provide examples of initiatives that have been put forward in other administrations. Through these networks, these organizations can also source information and expert advice from a global community that is able to strengthen local efforts to promote sustainability. Finally, working with outside organizations can help governments to become more flexible and creative in their approach to nurturing a culture of sustainability in their respective societies. Here in Hong Kong we have already found that by teaming up with the nongovernment sector, we can create lively and relevant campaign materials that engage the public and generate a strong degree of interest. Indeed, this symposium itself will benefit greatly from the input of our partners. The workshops that they have organized will bring together a good cross-section of representatives from the social, business and environment sectors to discuss sustainability priorities for Hong Kong and move public debate on this issue forward. Institutional Support We intend to build on our initial partnerships with non-government organizations, as well as with the business and academic sectors. In the longer term, in order to benefit fully from these partnerships, we recognize that there is a need to establish an appropriate institutional framework that will ensure the regular involvement of the nongovernment sector in developing policies and initiatives related to sustainability. To this end, we hope to announce shortly the establishment of a Council for Sustainable Development, which will be responsible for advising the Hong Kong SAR Government on issues related to sustainability. We also expect the Council to take the lead in forging close partnerships with organizations in the sectors that are most closely involved in this area, as well as sponsoring educational and research initiatives that will strengthen public knowledge and acceptance of the principles and practice of sustainable development. Within government itself, we have already developed tools for evaluating major new projects or proposals in terms of their implications for Hong Kong's long-term sustainability. We shall continue to refine and adapt these tools as appropriate, taking account of experience and input from the relevant sectors. International Cooperation By stepping up our efforts to educate the public, to build partnerships and to establish a strong institutional framework, we hope to move towards the building of a truly sustainable city here in Hong Kong. But in working to this end, we must not lose sight of one essential fact. We are not alone. Hong Kong is a place where life is intense, change is frequent and new issues surface quickly. We often spend so much time responding to challenges in our own society that we forget that we are part of a much bigger picture. For although we like to see ourselves as a distinct economic and social force, we must also recognize that in some respects we are simply a city in a region that is itself part of a much larger country. Moreover, our country is one of many in a world where the consequences of our actions can reach far beyond the boundaries of cities and states. Business practices and investment decisions in the developed economies of the world can have a tremendous impact in other areas, particularly those that are less well equipped to deal with the demands of large and wealthy enterprises. Even the fickle preferences of individual consumers can make the difference between employment and redundancy in many parts of the world. The effects of environmental neglect and careless use of energy resources similarly has far-reaching consequences for the health of everyone on the planet, regardless of where they live or their economic circumstances. Thoughtless pollution of our seas and waterways carries harmful and unpleasant side effects to neighbouring communities. The destruction of ancient and delicate ecological systems leaves the whole world a poorer and less diverse place. Above all, the movement of people to and from different societies presents challenges to each of us in adapting to and attempting to shape the community that we live in for the benefit of all of our citizens. We need to recognize that society has to be inclusive and multi-faceted if we are to improve our overall quality of life in the long-term. Again, this symposium provides us with an opportunity to cast our gaze wider, to learn more about what is happening in the neighbouring regions such as Guangdong and Macao and to benefit from the experience and expertise of speakers and participants from further afield. Through the speeches, panel discussions and workshops that will take place over the next day and a half, we will be able to get a real sense of the global nature of the cause of sustainable development, in all its aspects, as we look forward to the World Summit in Johannesburg in August and September this year. Speaking some forty years ago, the former United States President Lyndon Johnson described his vision of what he called "The Great Society". Although somewhat dated, much of what he said hold true for the vision of a sustainable city that we hope to realize in Hong Kong. In time, perhaps our success in enacting this vision will be realized by the extent to which we become, in Johnson's words: "A place where man can renew contact with nature...a place which honours creation for its own sake...a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods." Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you a fruitful and enjoyable symposium. Thank you. End/Monday, June 10, 2002 NNNN