Editorial | Hong Kong’s biodiversity strategy must be clear and comprehensive

One of them was a yellow or orange coral called Paraminabea inflata. Team leader Professor Qiu Jianwen of the university’s department of biology said there are only 11 known species under the genus in the world. The other new species found was a bright orange-red Parasphaerasclera dimorpha. Qiu said many new species are yet to be discovered in what is shaping up to be a “hotspot of biodiversity research”. He said waters in the southeast could be considered for a new marine conservation area in the future.

But as new treasures are found, others have been destroyed. Tourist overcrowding at a Unesco-listed geopark in Hong Kong during the National Day “golden week” holiday was blamed for damage to coral reefs off Sharp Island in Sai Kung last October. It is encouraging that authorities have since promised to monitor the health of the reefs and review crowd control measures.

Green groups welcomed the update, but some questioned whether it has enough teeth. Local NGO The Green Earth and international group Greenpeace rightly pointed out a lack of concrete timelines and clear details. Concerns were also raised about a lack of involvement from the government’s development and engineering departments. Land and development policy NGO Liber Research Community worried about “capacity” assessments being too focused on visitor numbers rather than the environmental pressure a site can endure before breaking.

Authorities should take the concerns to heart. They must also fast track performance indicators and management rules. The 10-year plan must not focus first on assessments when damage is already being done. Hong Kong has aimed to present itself as a green tourism hub. That goal requires it to be a responsible environmental steward. That is the only way to ensure that future headlines are about new species found, rather than biodiversity lost.