Unlike other government proposals, the council, a government-backed advisory body, said the document offered no preferred options and its findings would depend on what the community valued. A report will be prepared by the council and submitted to relevant policy bureaus, which will be responsible for formulating detailed policies based on the public view.

Chief Secretary Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who chairs the council, vowed yesterday to carry out the wishes of the public.

'I am here to pledge that I and the council members will carefully listen to all the responses, and implement what they choose,' he said at the launching ceremony. Council vice-chairman Edgar Cheng Wai-kin said it was uncertain how the experimental process would work in practice. 'The process is in many ways more important than the three areas [covered],' he said.

Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, political science professor at City University, said the new consultation model was a step in the right direction for the government as it sought to improve its governance.

He hoped policy bureaus and other advisory committees could adopt the new approach by involving the public from the start.

'Democracy is not just voting every few years, not just negotiations between political parties and the government,' he said. 'It is also about opening the policy-formation process to ensure a high degree of public participation.'

The document asks for views on the best ways of managing rubbish faced with shrinking landfill spaces. It calls on the public to consider fees to dump waste.

It also raises questions about renewable energy use in the city, asking the public if and how a target on its use should be set. On urban renewal, the community is asked to think how to make the city more attractive and enjoyable for all.

The document asks if there should be more development in the New Territories, more emphasis on urban revitalisation rather than full-scale demolition and whether there should be incentives for more sustainable building designs.

The questions:

Solid waste management

- To encourage people to produce less waste, should we charge housholds and businesses directly for waste management services?

- Should we make only minimal changes to our current waste management strategy or take more drastic measures for Hong Kong to move closer to becoming a model city for sustainable waste management?

- Should the government set up a single authority responsible for managing all our solid waste and stimulating the recovery and recycling industries?

Renewable energy

- Should we start planning to generate some of our electricity from renewable energy?

- Renewable energy might be more expensive than using fossil fuels. Can we afford to pay more to facilitate the development of renewable energy?

- Would you object to having a renewable energy facility in your neighbourhood?

Urban development

- Should we open up more space in the urban area by concentrating new residential and commercial development in the New Territories?

- Should we do more to encourage revitalisation of old urban neighbourhoods, rather than completely redevelop such areas?

- Should we impose requirements or offer incentives to encourage better building and urban design?