Sign our petition to call for an effective Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

Posted on 30 March 2016

We need your support to urge the government to improve Hong Kong’s first ever Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) which is now under the critical public consultation phase.

We need your support to urge the government to improve Hong Kong’s first ever Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) which is now under the critical public consultation phase.

Make your opinions known by signing WWF-Hong Kong’s online petition. Or you can directly e-mail the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD)! Our online petition, which contains plenty expert advice, makes for a good reference when drafting your own submission.

This new initiative, which has taken the government nearly two years and the help of more than 100 experts and stakeholders (including 10 WWF staff) to develop, sets out measures to protect our natural heritage.

WWF is heartened that, in the public consultation document of BSAP, authorities proposed to develop/review the management plan of protected areas, enhance conservation of natural streams and rivers, and create a comprehensive, publicly accessible database of information on local wildlife and habitats.

That said, there’s still much room for improvement.

The proposal lacks concrete actions and clear targets to protect our threatened habitats – such as oceans and freshwater marshes – and most vulnerable wildlife – such as golden coin turtle and Chinese pangolin.

WWF believes we can best protect our enchanting countryside brimming with biodiversity by including eight more measures in the official plan set to be announced later in the year:

Protect representative marine habitats, threatened species, and help depleted fisheries recover by setting up an effective marine protected area (MPA) system covering at least 10% of Hong Kong waters.
Protect the globally important Deep Bay wetlands including Mai Po Nature Reserve by formulating a holistic plan and setting up a Wetland Trust.
Protect important lowland rivers, freshwater marshes and feng shui woods by incorporating them into the Country Park system
Stop natural habitats on private land from being destroyed by plugging legal loopholes and stepping up enforcement.
Assess the conservation status of local wildlife and compile a List of Threatened Species to inform conservation actions, EIAs, planning studies and legislation.
Develop and implement species action plans to help the most threatened wildlife in Hong Kong – including Chinese White Dolphin, Chinese Pangolin, freshwater turtles and Chinese Bahaba – recover and survive in the long run.
Stop consumption and trade of unsustainably and illegally sourced animal and plant products to protect local and global biodiversity by plugging legal loopholes and stepping up governmental measures

Other Recommendations : The government needs to set benchmarks and timetables to implement BSAP and regularly review progress to ensure all goals are met within five years; engage the community in biodiversity conservation, set up an environmental education advisory body and improve coordination between groups offering environmental education; review agriculture policy, which is closely linked to biodiversity conservation, to help the industry move towards sustainability and protect/restore agriculture land.

Your opinion is important in helping the government chart a sustainable future for Hong Kong. Please sign our online petition and we will direct your opinion immediately to the AFCD. Alternatively, you can voice your own views via e-mail to AFCD.

The public consultation ends on 7 April (Thursday).

SIGN THE PETITION NOW!

Sign our petition to call for an effective Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

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