Public policy think tank Civic Exchange today announced a new programme which aims to improve nature conservation in Hong Kong. The programme includes a new strategy paper, an annual biodiversity conservation review, and the first summit of local environmental NGOs (envNGOs).
思匯政策研究所於今天發表一新項目，旨在改善本港自然生態保育。新計劃包括發表一份全新策略研究、實行年度保育檢討，以及舉辦全港首個環保團體高峰會。
The foundation for this work is a research paper, Nature Conservation: a new policy framework for Hong Kong. This paper, which was funded by ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, sets out a new strategic framework for nature conservation based on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)1 (see page 4), to which Hong Kong is expected to become a party in the first quarter of 2011. 這項計劃以一份由由埃克森美孚香港有限公司資助的研究報告《自然保育: 香港的新政策框架》為基礎。香港政府已宣布《生物多樣性公約》 將會延伸至香港，基於本港預期會在2011年第一季參與《生物多樣性公約》，思匯根據公約內的建議，為香港設立了一個新策略性框架，撰寫這份研究報告。
“The current nature conservation policy falls far short of global standards, and is being actively misused to harm our environment. While both the public and the Government are taking other active conservation measures, these is a clear need for a policy framework aligning Hong Kong with the CBD, and to ensure the full benefits of these new initiatives are realised,” said Mike Kilburn, Environmental Programme Manager, Civic Exchange. 思匯環境項目經理吳敏表示：「本港現時的自然保育政策與世界嚴重脫節，並且經常被濫用來破壞本地自然環境。現在政府及社會開始採取一些積極的保育措施，我們需要一個符合《生物多樣性公約》的政策框架確保這些措施有效。」
A key element of the programme is an annual review of biodiversity conservation that will be conducted by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS). HKBWS will measure the performance of ten key indicators2 derived from the strategic objectives in the policy framework, and developed in consultation with conservation experts from the Government, ecologists, academics and envNGOs3. The information will be gathered from a range of public and expert sources, and published annually by HKBWS on behalf of the envNGOs. 計劃另一個主要元素是生態多樣性年度檢討，將委託香港觀鳥會負責。思匯徵詢了政府、生態學家、各界學者及環保團體的專家意見 ，根據政策框架的各項目標，製訂了十個重點保育指標 作為年度性檢討。香港觀鳥會將會集合各種公開資料及專門資料，每年撰寫及發表檢討報告。
“Regular reporting on the state of biodiversity, and the conservation work to protect and enhance it, is a key requirement of the CBD process, but no such mechanism exists in Hong Kong right now. These indicators will provide an annual scorecard that allows the whole community to evaluate our progressive, or otherwise,” said Cheng Nok Ming, Conservation Officer, HKBWS. 香港觀鳥會保育主任鄭諾銘表示：「本港生態多樣性的狀況，以及其相關的保育工作成效都應該作一個定期評估，這樣才符合生物多樣公約的要求；可是香港現在並沒有這個機制。這些指標的表現就像一張成績表，讓公眾知道我們正在進步還是退步。」
The aim of the report is to stimulate community-wide discussion of a new approach to conservation based on Hong Kong signing up to the CBD. Civic Exchange, supported by leading campaigners, has proposed hosting thefirst ever summit of Hong Kong’s envNGOs to discuss how the new policy framework could be applied. The summit will take place on 21 March 2011, and will be chaired by Christine Loh, Chief Executive Civic Exchange. 研究報告目的在於刺激社會各界討論一個新保育方向，以迎合香港簽署《生物多樣性公約》當中的要求。思匯政策研究所在一眾保育團體支持下，將舉行全港首個環保團體高峰會，討論怎樣實行報告中的新政策框架。高峰會將於2011年3月21日舉行，由思匯政策研究所行政總監陸恭惠主持。
“The current nature conservation policy is extremely narrow in scope, and within its very narrow remit it has achieved little. As a result we clearly need to start afresh and include key elements such as our fuller protection of the marine environment and reducing our global ecological footprint. If we are to have a world-class policy, the CBD is the only sensible framework to adopt,” said Eric Bohm CEO, WWF-Hong Kong. 世界自然基金會香港分會行政總裁龐毅理亦對此計劃表示支持：「現時的自然保育政策覆蓋範圍非常狹窄，而且成效不大，所以我們需要重新製訂一個政策。我們也不可忽略一些重要元素，例如要更全面保護我們的海港環境、減低我們的全球生態足印。若果我們要製訂一個世界級政策，《生物多樣性公約》是唯一一個可以跟隨的框架。」
“Major infrastructure and small house development continues to ravage the New Territories, regardless of our current nature conservation policies. Until such policies are applied across the whole of Government, as required under the CBD, Hong Kong’s biodiversity will remain under heavy threat, ” said Paul Zimmerman, District Councillor and Chief Executive of Designing Hong Kong. 創建香港主席兼區議員司馬文表示：「大型基建以至小型屋宇發展一直破壞新界的自然環境，現時的自然保育政策完全得不到重視。除非保育政策在政府部門間全面實行，否則香港的生態只會繼續面對重大危機。」
Public concern for the environment has captured headlines in recent months, as ecologically-sensitive sites such as Nam Sang Wai, and Tai Long Sai Wan have joined the list of threatened hotspots, provoking a vigorous response from newly-created web-based conservation groups, several of whom will also join the summit. 南生圍及大浪西灣這些生態敏感的地方成為了環境破壞熱點，新興的網上保育組織相繼冒起，引起極大迴響，各報章的頭版都被環境新聞佔據。當中一些網上保育組織都表示將會參與高峰會。
“More than 85,000 people joined the Facebook page to raise their concerns about the threat to Tai Long Sai Wan. With such strong community support, the government is in a much stronger position to take active measures to protect our eco-hotspots,” said Joe Man, Friends of Tai Long Sai Wan. 大浪西灣之友發言人文家傑說：「在大浪西灣事件中，超過八萬五千人參加了facebook群組以表達他們的意見，有了這些民眾支持，政府會更積極保護屬於香港市民的生態熱點。」
NOTE
1 See page 4 for a summary of the CBD 見報告第4頁《生物多樣性公約》總結
2 See page 10 for a full list of indicators 見報告第10頁重點保育指標
3 See page 5 for a summary of the consultation process 見報告第5頁
