https://www.scmp.com/rss/322218/feed Dr Michael Lau is founder of the Hong Kong Wetlands Conservation Association and adjunct professor at the School of Biological Sciences, the University of Hong Kong. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Super Typhoon Saola and the record-breaking black rainstorm in September were stark reminders that, even in a modern city such as Hong Kong, we live within natural ecosystems. As a result of climate change, such extreme weather is happening more frequently, with greater intensity, and affecting more places around the world. As a result, we must act urgently to enhance our city’s resilience. Much discussion has focused on the need to upgrade our existing infrastructure, which would involve hefty... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3241552/wetlands-are-key-securing-climate-resilient-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3241552/wetlands-are-key-securing-climate-resilient-northern-metropolis?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Nov 2023 01:30:11 +0000 Ask anyone in Hong Kong and they will say our country parks are a precious and indispensable resource that makes life in the city a pleasure. ­Escaping the tangle of urban life is a step, or a bus or train ride, away. After the severe acute respiratory syndrome crisis in 2003, city dwellers reintroduced themselves to Hong Kong’s green lungs. And they breathed deep. The appreciation and love of our country parks runs in the DNA of Hong Kong people. People just know that they are good for the... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2097966/can-hong-kongs-leaders-show-resolve-spare-country-parks-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2097966/can-hong-kongs-leaders-show-resolve-spare-country-parks-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jun 2017 09:29:18 +0000 Hong Kong’s subtropical climate and unique position at the mouth of the Pearl River mean the city is blessed with an amazing diversity of plant and animal life. The need to protect the diversity of life on earth is enshrined in the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, which also extends to Hong Kong. In his 2013 policy address, Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying committed to develop a biodiversity strategy and action plan to help implement the convention locally. Unusually for Hong Kong, a... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1916193/hong-kong-needs-bolder-action-plan-protect-its-environmental?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1916193/hong-kong-needs-bolder-action-plan-protect-its-environmental?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Feb 2016 02:53:26 +0000 There is much in Hong Kong that is worthy of preservation. Our many historic buildings and monuments deserve to be conserved and cared for - they are our cultural heritage. Our incredible natural environment, which surrounds and sustains us, is our natural heritage. This, too, is extremely important - it provides services that are key to human life: producing oxygen, absorbing carbon, giving us fresh water and numerous opportunities for enjoyment. Given their value, it is vital that we preserve... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1838590/protection-hong-kongs-built-and-natural-heritage-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1838590/protection-hong-kongs-built-and-natural-heritage-not?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jul 2015 03:40:28 +0000 Seven species of sea turtle inhabit the world's tropical and subtropical waters. Six of these are threatened, while the status of the Australian flatback turtle is listed as "data deficient". Sea turtles face a multitude of threats, from being accidentally caught and drowned in fishing nets to the overexploitation of their eggs at their nesting beaches. Five species of sea turtle can be found in Hong Kong. One of them, the green turtle, actually nests here. This giant used to nest on the beaches... https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1526646/give-hong-kongs-green-turtles-fighting-chance-survive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/article/1526646/give-hong-kongs-green-turtles-fighting-chance-survive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jun 2014 07:00:00 +0000 It is difficult not to be amazed by the diversity of life forms when you venture into a tropical rainforest or dive into a coral reef. Locally, a trip to a mudflat, such as at Lung Mei at low spring tide, or to the Deep Bay wetlands in winter equally yields wonders. Some 1.2 million species have been found and named by biologists but incredibly, it has been estimated that there are 8.7 million species sharing the earth with us. Clearly, our knowledge of biodiversity is limited, with some 86 per... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1239930/nature-needs-voice-hong-kong-protect-chinese-white-dolphins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1239930/nature-needs-voice-hong-kong-protect-chinese-white-dolphins?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000 The proposed beach at Lung Mei, incinerator at Shek Kwu Chau, expansion of the Tseung Kwan O landfill into Clear Water Bay Country Park and a potential third runway at the airport have all provoked strong reactions from environmental groups and sectors of the public concerned about their impact on wildlife and the environment. This is despite some of these projects having undergone environmental impact assessments, which have been accepted by the Environmental Protection Department. Advocates... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1129509/real-strategy-save-hong-kongs-endangered-natural-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1129509/real-strategy-save-hong-kongs-endangered-natural-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:00:00 +0000