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[Hong Kong] HK Headline Indicators for Biodiversity and Conservation 2012

HK Headline Indicators for Biodiversity and Conservation 2012

Hong Kong Headline Indicators for Biodiversity and Conservation 2012

Hong Kong Headline Indicators for Biodiversity and Conservation 2012 is the second annual report assessing the state of Hong Kong’s biodiversity and the effectiveness of conservation measures being taken to protect it.

This year the report summary (page 5-6) shows a slight improvement in three indicators:

1. Public reporting and successful prosecutions for abuses in Country Parks increased;  
2. The creation of Hong Kong Geopark slightly expanded the protected area network;
3. The start of work by AFCD and ENB on a Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP).

It also shows a deterioration in two others:

1. The loss of a further 60km of natural river and stream courses to channelisation;
2. Continuing declines in the numbers of waterbirds.

The remaining indicators show either insignificant change, or that there is no data available.

The overall picture remains the same, with declining trends in the populations of key species and damage to ecologically important habitats. Substantial work is needed to review and enforce policy, legislation and plans for conserving threatened species and sites of ecological importance, and to mainstream biodiversity conservation into Hong Kong’s wider development agenda.

It should be stressed that responsibility for conserving Hong Kong’s biodiversity extends across a number of bureaux and departments of the HKSAR Government (including all of the bureaux and departments copied on this document, as well the corporate sector, the media and the wider public.

A BSAP formulated according to the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will go a long way towards addressing these issues, and will create the foundation for protecting the biodiversity and ecosystem services that contribute so substantially to making Hong Kong the most livable city in China.

We were encouraged to note the Chief Executive’s 2013 Policy Address commitment to develop a BSAP according to CBD principles by 2015, and recent discussions on how to do this between environmental experts, the Environment Bureau and AFCD. These promising developments occurred outside the period covered, but will be reflected in the next report.

Hong Kong Bird Watching Society

Download report下載報告:
HK Headline Indicators for Biodiversity & Conservation.pdf (381.67 KB)


* Few hard copies are also available in our office.

Link to the "Hong Kong Headline Indicators for Biodiversity and Conservation 2011"
http://www.hkbws.org.hk/BBS/view ... &extra=page%3D1

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I am very surprised to see this report published under the name of HKBWS. I am not aware HKBWS allocated recourse on keep monitoring the headline indicator.

Notwithstanding the good intention of advocation of biodiversity conservation, I see the strength of HKBWS is to provide technical support on collecting bird related data compiling into a biodiversity indicator. Particularly, data from various groups, such as egrets and black kite, are readily available that could be transformed into an index of bird diversity etc. HKBWS is the authority and most suitable organization to focus on the bird related index. Updating the number of compliant case on illegal development and number of Chinese White Dolphin is good to monitor the nature conservation development in HK, but I don't see HKBWS is the authority to do such, unless it has extra resource or subsidization.   

Gary

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