https://www.scmp.com/rss/522563/feed Greenpeace: A prominent international non-profit environmental organisation, founded in Canada in 1971, with its coordinating body, Greenpeace International, headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is dedicated to ensuring the Earth’s ability to nurture life in all its diversity. Its main areas of focus include campaigning globally on climate change, deforestation, and ocean protection, utilising direct action, advocacy, and research. Greenpeace is recognised for its nonviolent direct... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong authorities will cordon off parts of the shoreline of Sharp Island in Sai Kung to protect corals, with 1,000 visitors expected in the area each day during the coming Labour Day “golden week” holiday. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department also said on Monday that 11 officers would patrol the island daily during the holiday, while five marine staff – two snorkellers and three kayakers – would monitor the sea for any disruptive visitor behaviour. The department said it... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351614/hong-kong-block-parts-sharp-island-shoreline-protect-corals-over-break?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351614/hong-kong-block-parts-sharp-island-shoreline-protect-corals-over-break?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 23:00:15 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong may introduce pilot schemes for booking campsites before the National Day holiday in October, as authorities revealed that 32 people were prosecuted for offences in Sai Kung’s country parks over the Chinese New Year holiday. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan told the Legislative Council on Wednesday that most of those prosecuted were non-locals charged with littering. Authorities had earlier said they were considering implementing a booking system and charging fees for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3347018/hong-kong-test-new-campsite-booking-system-amid-overcrowding-litter-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3347018/hong-kong-test-new-campsite-booking-system-amid-overcrowding-litter-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:54:53 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li A protected Hong Kong wetland on southern Lantau Island has recorded a high concentration of petroleum following an oil spill in September, with levels up to 40 times higher than those in unaffected areas, according to an environmental group’s study. Greenpeace in Hong Kong said the high concentration could threaten local ecology. It urged authorities to investigate the oil spill and include unprotected sites with high ecological value in the priority conservation projects under the Biodiversity... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3346007/hong-kong-wetland-records-40-times-more-petroleum-after-oil-spill-greenpeace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3346007/hong-kong-wetland-records-40-times-more-petroleum-after-oil-spill-greenpeace?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:30:18 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Excitement about an influx of tourists during the recent Chinese New Year “golden week” was tarnished by the sight of some rural Hong Kong beaches being turned into congested tent cities. It is good that the authorities are considering fees and other solutions to counter holiday rushes. The problem was obvious on beaches in Sai Kung, where more than 900 tents were pitched along Ham Tin Wan. At nearby Sai Wan, nearly half of the campers had illegally pitched shelters outside designated... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344859/hong-kong-wants-ecotourism-not-overtourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344859/hong-kong-wants-ecotourism-not-overtourism?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Hong Kong authorities are looking at implementing a booking system and charging fees for camping hotspots as part of a review of management strategies in response to public concerns about overcrowded beaches and litter during the Lunar New Year holiday. The Agricultural, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) posted its plan on its Facebook page on Sunday after campers and hikers called for stronger public education, law enforcement and limits on visitor numbers at popular sites. At Ham... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344274/hong-kong-eyes-booking-system-fees-after-campers-overrun-hotspots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344274/hong-kong-eyes-booking-system-fees-after-campers-overrun-hotspots?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 15:07:44 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Campers and hikers have urged Hong Kong authorities to step up public education, law enforcement and impose foot traffic limits at campsites after some areas were flooded with visitors during the Lunar New Year holiday. A visit by the South China Morning Post on Saturday to Ham Tin Wan, a beach in Sai Kung, found about 50 visitors and 30 tents. Empty plastic bottles, used tissue paper and chocolate wrappers were seen lying on the sand and in bushes and shrubs. Officers from the Agricultural,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3344225/calls-better-supervision-hong-kongs-campsites-after-areas-inundated?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3344225/calls-better-supervision-hong-kongs-campsites-after-areas-inundated?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 14:03:04 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A green group has called for long-term measures to tackle overtourism in Hong Kong’s scenic Sai Kung district after the number of tents at a campsite reached more than nine times its capacity on the second day of Lunar New Year, although authorities described the situation as “under control”. Greenpeace said on Thursday that it had counted 585 tents at the Ham Tin Wan and Sai Wan campsites the previous day, far exceeding the designated capacity of 50 at each location. Ham Tin Wan had 450 tents... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3344030/green-group-calls-action-after-hong-kong-campsites-packed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3344030/green-group-calls-action-after-hong-kong-campsites-packed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:25:52 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A court on Wednesday ordered the Dutch government to draw up a plan to protect residents on the tiny Caribbean island of Bonaire from the devastating effects of climate change – a sweeping victory for the islanders. The Hague District Court, in a stunning rebuke of Dutch authorities, also ruled that the government discriminated against the island’s 20,000 inhabitants by not taking “timely and appropriate measures” to protect them from climate change before it is too late. “The island already... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341587/caribbean-island-wins-climate-case-against-netherlands-forcing-dutch-action-rising-seas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341587/caribbean-island-wins-climate-case-against-netherlands-forcing-dutch-action-rising-seas?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:50:37 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The recent discovery of two new coral species in waters close to urban Hong Kong was a welcome surprise. The hopeful sign of resilience and richness of the city’s biodiversity should drive efforts to better protect the fragile assets from development and tourism. Researchers from Baptist University revealed on January 5 that they had identified the new soft corals, species that were previously unknown worldwide, in an area about 5 km (3 miles) southeast of Hong Kong Island’s Shek O Beach. One of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3339707/hong-kongs-biodiversity-strategy-must-be-clear-and-comprehensive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3339707/hong-kongs-biodiversity-strategy-must-be-clear-and-comprehensive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung,Willa Wu Elizabeth Cheung,Willa Wu Concern groups have called for a more concrete timeline and clearer details in an updated action plan for Hong Kong’s biodiversity strategy, which for the first time lists assessing the capacity of ecotourism hotspots as a priority. The government on Wednesday unveiled its updated Hong Kong Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which covers four strategic areas – nature conservation, deepening mainstreaming, capacity building and collaborative partnering. It lists 30 priority actions and 81... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338339/groups-welcome-updated-hong-kong-biodiversity-plan-call-more-details?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3338339/groups-welcome-updated-hong-kong-biodiversity-plan-call-more-details?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jan 2026 01:30:17 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Campaigners against nuclear energy have condemned Japan’s decision to resume operations at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa power plant, claiming that the facility will be unable to withstand a major earthquake as it was “built on tofu”. Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), the operator of the Niigata prefecture plant, on Wednesday applied for a final examination of the facility to the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA). Approval is likely to be a formality as the prefectural assembly already gave the nod on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337805/safety-fears-japan-prepares-restart-nuclear-plant-built-tofu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337805/safety-fears-japan-prepares-restart-nuclear-plant-built-tofu?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:30:11 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s municipal solid waste levels at landfills fell to 3.85 million tonnes in 2024, marking three straight years of declines, but green groups have warned the trend could be short-lived following the shelving of a controversial waste-charging scheme last year. The latest figures from authorities on Monday also showed the average daily quantity of waste going to landfills was 10,510 tonnes, representing a 3.4 per cent decrease from 10,884 tonnes in 2023. The amount of plastic waste... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337377/hong-kongs-solid-waste-levels-dip-third-year-green-groups-still-worried?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3337377/hong-kongs-solid-waste-levels-dip-third-year-green-groups-still-worried?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 13:17:16 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn When the Indonesian island of Sumatra was struggling to recover from devastating floods last week, local authorities in Aceh turned to an unconventional form of help to clear debris: elephants. The move to deploy four trained elephants in Pidie Jaya Regency, however, has drawn mixed reactions, with some experts praising the effective response to extreme conditions and others criticising it due to the risks faced by the critically endangered species. Triggered by days of torrential rain last... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3336966/indonesian-elephants-tasked-help-flood-recovery-spur-conservation-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3336966/indonesian-elephants-tasked-help-flood-recovery-spur-conservation-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 03:00:11 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia is facing renewed calls to curb deforestation and tighten oversight of forest concessions after a rare tropical cyclone tore across Sumatra, unleashing floods and landslides that have killed more than 700 people and left hundreds missing. The disaster has prompted a nationwide debate over whether the tragedy was driven primarily by climate change-fuelled extreme weather or by decades of ecological destruction in a region that has been transformed by plantations, mining and large-scale... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3334963/indonesias-cyclone-tragedy-exposes-lethal-cost-forest-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3334963/indonesias-cyclone-tragedy-exposes-lethal-cost-forest-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 06:30:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press With a direct letter sent to nations and a draft text released on Tuesday, host country Brazil is shifting the UN climate conference into a higher gear. The letter sent late on Monday comes during the final week of the first climate summit in the Amazon rainforest, a key regulator of climate because trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that warms the planet. Cop30 President Andre Correa do Lago later released a proposal with 21 options for negotiators to choose from on four sticky and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3333308/brazil-ramps-cop30-climate-talks-21-point-draft-amazon-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3333308/brazil-ramps-cop30-climate-talks-21-point-draft-amazon-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:00:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Protesters in Pokemon costumes stomped around the United Nations climate conference on Friday to send a message to Japan: end financing of coal and natural gas projects across Southeast Asia and other regions of the Global South. The Stop Japan’s Dirty Energy Plans protest aligned with the first of two thematic days with a focus on energy during the annual climate conference known as Cop30, held this year in Belem on the edge of the Brazilian Amazon. Organisers of the protest said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332912/japans-fossil-fuel-activists-tap-pikachu-catch-attention-cop30?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3332912/japans-fossil-fuel-activists-tap-pikachu-catch-attention-cop30?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 06:30:18 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia is struggling to stamp out illegal mining that has ravaged forest land around its new capital Nusantara, in a challenge environmentalists say will test the government’s resolve to enforce the law and rein in powerful mining interests. The crackdown comes as doubts persist over the future of the 466 trillion rupiah (US$27.8 billion) project – a centrepiece of former leader Joko Widodo’s legacy that now faces waning political support under his successor, President Prabowo Subianto, and a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3331645/illegal-mining-tests-indonesias-resolve-new-capital-nusantara?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3331645/illegal-mining-tests-indonesias-resolve-new-capital-nusantara?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 10:25:33 +0000 Cliff Buddle Cliff Buddle Hong Kong’s drive to attract visitors to the city, in a bid to ensure that “tourism is everywhere”, is beginning to bear fruit. The eight-day “golden week” holiday drew more than 1.4 million arrivals from mainland China, a 15 per cent increase on last year. It fuelled a 20 per cent surge in business for the struggling retail and catering sectors, while hotels enjoyed an occupancy rate of over 90 per cent. Much comfort, during challenging economic times, was taken from the boost to consumption... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3328663/tourism-might-be-everywhere-not-everywhere-can-cope-mass-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3328663/tourism-might-be-everywhere-not-everywhere-can-cope-mass-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 15:07:50 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Damaged coral reefs in a Unesco-listed geopark in Hong Kong may take years to recover, environmentalists have warned after a government investigation found that an area of about four square metres (43 sq ft) had been affected. Thousands of tourists flocked to Sharp Island in Sai Kung during mainland China’s National Day “golden week” holiday earlier this month, with some trampling on corals while snorkelling and digging up marine organisms. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328608/damaged-coral-reefs-hong-kong-may-take-years-recover-green-groups-warn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3328608/damaged-coral-reefs-hong-kong-may-take-years-recover-green-groups-warn?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 02:30:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Tourist hotspots overrun by holidaymakers has long been an issue of concern in mainland China. The problem has spilled over to Hong Kong. Most recently, hordes of visitors flooded the city’s Unesco Global Geopark in Sai Kung during the National Day “golden week” holiday, prompting calls for more vigorous law enforcement action against those who damage the fragile and much-treasured natural wonder. The government launched a joint operation on Sunday following extensive media coverage on the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3327994/hong-kongs-natural-beauty-needs-robust-protection-amid-tourism-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3327994/hong-kongs-natural-beauty-needs-robust-protection-amid-tourism-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 22:45:07 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Overcrowding at a Unesco-listed geopark in Hong Kong during the National Day “golden week” holiday is not expected to have a “significant impact” on coral colonies, the city’s environment chief has said, stressing that authorities will assess the health of the reefs near an outlying island and review crowd control measures. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said on Monday that the damage to coral reefs off Sharp Island in Sai Kung was not extensive, after tourists were seen... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3327961/crowds-outlying-hong-kong-island-wont-have-major-impact-corals-official?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3327961/crowds-outlying-hong-kong-island-wont-have-major-impact-corals-official?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 04:01:49 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong will step up patrols at a Unesco Global Geopark for the rest of the National Day “golden week” break after hordes of tourists flooded the place, with some trampling on corals and starting fires. The Environment and Ecology Bureau on Sunday said that staff from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) together with officers from the police force and Marine Department launched a joint operation on Sharp Island, also known as Kiu Tsui Chau, in Sai Kung. It said that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3327926/hong-kong-steps-patrols-after-golden-week-tourists-overrun-sai-kung-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3327926/hong-kong-steps-patrols-after-golden-week-tourists-overrun-sai-kung-island?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 11:44:34 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Some tourists have been camping, cooking over open fires and removing marine creatures washed ashore in a Unesco-listed geopark in Hong Kong, potentially violating park rules and posing an ecological threat, the Post has found. Visitors who talked to the Post on Saturday were also split about how the park could be better protected – some suggested crowd control measures, while others questioned how authorities could balance such measures with the tourism experience. The Post’s visit followed... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3327885/tourist-activities-hong-kong-geopark-island-potentially-violate-park-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3327885/tourist-activities-hong-kong-geopark-island-potentially-violate-park-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Oct 2025 11:56:53 +0000 Cannix Yau Cannix Yau Greenpeace has called for the Hong Kong government to put in place conservation-driven measures to protect outlying islands in Sai Kung from ecological damage caused by overtourism. The green group raised the alarm on Friday after it found a large number of visitors trampling corals and digging up marine organisms in the city’s Unesco Global Geopark area. A site inspection by Greenpeace found that 4,062 people landed on Sharp Island, also known as Kiu Tsui Chau, on Wednesday, the first day of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3327810/hong-kong-urged-protect-sai-kung-islands-overtourism-ecological-damage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3327810/hong-kong-urged-protect-sai-kung-islands-overtourism-ecological-damage?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 11:00:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Indonesian government has allowed a nickel mining company to resume operations in an eastern archipelago, a minister said on Sunday, despite outcry over damage it could cause to the pristine islands. The cluster of islands and shoals in Southwest Papua Province sits in the Coral Triangle and is thought to be one of the world’s most pristine reefs, while its clear blue waters make it a popular diving spot. PT Gag Nikel, a subsidiary of state mining company Aneka Tambang, resumed operations on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3325502/indonesian-nickel-mine-reopened-despite-environmental-outcry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3325502/indonesian-nickel-mine-reopened-despite-environmental-outcry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 12:30:15 +0000 Emily Hung,Lynn Zhang Emily Hung,Lynn Zhang In Hong Kong’s Kwai Tsing neighbourhood, a community recycling station has been quietly making an impact since opening in 2019. Green@Kwai Tsing, operated by the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, serves as a collection point for various items that are sent to recyclers. Twelve mobile collection spots are also set up in the neighbourhood every week. Back in 2019, the station collected 20 tonnes of recyclables each month, but that has since surged to about 60 tonnes. “We have... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322938/hong-kong-really-cutting-trash-year-after-axing-waste-charging-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3322938/hong-kong-really-cutting-trash-year-after-axing-waste-charging-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 01:00:29 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s South Lantau ecotourism plans could be reduced to property projects that threaten the environment if authorities fail to set clear guidelines, green groups and academics have warned ahead of Wednesday’s deadline for developers to express their interest. Greenpeace, the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, seven other groups and an academic also said on Wednesday that the government’s approach, which includes allowing developers to propose ecotourism projects with residential... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316680/hong-kongs-south-lantau-ecotourism-plan-may-harm-environment-green-groups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3316680/hong-kongs-south-lantau-ecotourism-plan-may-harm-environment-green-groups?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 11:55:17 +0000