Green Groups’ Petition to Object Proposed Sustainable Lantau Office

The Finance Committee of Legislative Council will consider the Sustainable Lantau Office (SLO) soon. The office is responsible for the implementation of Sustainable Lantau Blueprint (the Blueprint). Compared with the Lantau planning on 2016, the government only removed the South Lantau tourism items in the Blueprint. The SLO fails to provide adequate protection and conservation of valuable wetlands and farmlands on South Lantau, and Southwest waters which are the important habitat for dolphins. Moreover, the duties of SLO include the controversial project of East Lantau Metropolis and its feasibility study in which the Legislative Council has not approved yet. The Environmental Bureau is completely absented in this office.
 
The green groups jointly urge the legislators should object the proposed SLO. The SLO should be revoked and re-structured by the government with the following five conditions:
 

1. East Lantau Metropolis development should be excluded from SLO’s jurisdiction.
2. SLO should take up the responsibility to plan and implement conservation measures, including those proposed by green groups.
3. Environment Bureau should directly supervise the conservation section of SLO, and oversee the planning and implementation of conservation measures for Lantau. Proper professional staff should be recruited/engaged in the SLO to implement the conservation measures on Lantau and be responsible to the Environment Bureau
4. The operation and works of SLO should be transparent and accountable to public, and corresponding mechanism should be in place when SLO is set up.
5. SLO should consult different stakeholders, including green groups, when implementing development and conservation measures.

 
To achieve the principle of ‘Balancing Development and Conservation’ at Lantau, SLO must not be led by the Development Bureau and CEDD only.