Advisory committe

An advisory committee was set up from June 2013 to May 2016 for the preparation of the first BSAP for Hong Kong. The committee consists of a Steering Committee which was supported by three Working Groups (namely Terrestrial Biodiversity Working Group, Marine Biodiversity Working Group, and Awareness, Mainstreaming and Sustainability Working Groups). 12 Focus Groups were also convened on an ad hoc basis. The membership of the Steering Committee and Working Groups comprised a wide range of experts and representatives from green groups, academics, private and public sectors, and relevant government officials.

• provide steer to the BSAP formulation;
• consider key findings and recommendations by the BSAP Working Groups in the course of formulating the BSAP; and
• consider and advise appropriate strategies and practicable measures for pursuing the objectives of Hong Kong’s biodiversity conservation, and set priorities.

Click here for the recommendation on BSAP formulation made by the Steering Committee to the Government in 2015.

• stock-take terrestrial biodiversity and related resources in Hong Kong;
• systematically review terrestrial biodiversity status, trends, threats, impacts and drivers of gains and losses, and identify information/knowledge gaps and key biodiversity issues;
• recommend and prioritise actions to address the gaps and issues;
• develop indicators and a reporting system to monitor the status of terrestrial biodiversity;
• formulate measures for evaluating the effectiveness of the BSAP with respect to the conservation of terrestrial biodiversity;
• report to the BSAP Steering Committee the findings and recommendations of the Working Group.

• stock-take marine biodiversity and related resources in Hong Kong;
• systematically review marine biodiversity status, trends, threats, impacts and drivers of gains and losses, and identify information/knowledge gaps and key biodiversity issues;
• recommend and prioritise actions to address the gaps and issues;
• develop indicators and a reporting system to monitor the status of marine biodiversity;
• formulate measures for evaluating the effectiveness of the BSAP with respect to the conservation of marine biodiversity;
• report to the BSAP Steering Committee the findings and recommendations of the Working Group.

• stock-take policies, legislation, guidelines and administrative practices affecting biodiversity and ecosystem services, and consider inputs from the Terrestrial Biodiversity Working Group, Marine Biodiversity Working Group and other experts with respect to the Convention on Biological Diversity;
• review sustainable and unsustainable practices that have an impact on local and global biodiversity and ecological footprint;
• develop strategies to mainstream biodiversity values across the government and society, and to integrate the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources into relevant sectoral and cross-sectoral policies, plans programmes and projects;
• develop action plans to engage the wider community, enhance education and awareness, and acquire public support and involvement to achieve BSAP targets; and
• report to the BSAP Steering Committee the findings and recommendations of the Working Group.

Focus Groups were convened under the respective Working groups on an as-needed basis, to support the Working Groups to deliberate specific topics. A total of 12 Focus Groups were convened. They were:

• Status and Trend and Red List Focus Group
• Terrestrial Habitat Focus Group
• Terrestrial Impact Assessment Focus Group

• Focus Group on Marine Habitat
• Focus Group on Marine Impact Assessment
• Focus Group on Sustainable Use of Marine Resources

• Focus Group on Business Sector
• Focus Group on Education
• Focus Group on Non-government Organisations
• Legislation Focus Group
• Sustainable Use, Ecological Footprint and Ecosystem Services Focus Group
• Traditional Knowledge Focus Group

Click here for the final reports submitted by these Focus Groups to their respective Working Groups.

After 18 months of deliberation, the Steering Committee had submitted a set of recommendations for the Government to consider in 2015, including a proposed Strategy and 33 Key Actions:

"By 2030, the rich biodiversity of Hong Kong is valued, conserved, restored, sustainably managed and wisely used, thereby maintaining essential ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy and liveable place and delivering benefits for all people."

"Our mission is to value, conserve and restore the rich biodiversity of Hong Kong, to ensure that it is sustainably managed and wisely used, and to promote the mainstreaming of biodiversity issues and values across all sectors of the society, with social and economic aspects duly considered and balanced, so that ecosystems are resilient and continue to provide essential services, and the precious environment that supports and enriches the life of Hong Kong people is passed on to the future generations."

1. We recognise our obligations under the Convention on Biological Diversity, including contribution to reach the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.
2. We recognise that biodiversity has intrinsic and other values, and underpins ecosystem functionin and the provision of ecosystem services essential for human well-being.
3. We recognise Hong Kong’s geographic location and rich biodiversity and the need for appropriate
   ecological connectivity.
4. We recognise our responsibility to contribute to the conservation of global biodiversity.
5. Biodiversity should be sustainably managed, wisely used and conserved, with social and economic aspects duly considered and balanced, for the present and future generations.
6. Education and public awareness is the cornerstone of conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
7. Proper planning, designation and management of a network of protected areas is fundamental to safeguarding and enhancing the status of biodiversity. Threats and pressures upon biodiversity outside protected areas should be addressed.
8. Biodiversity considerations should be integrated into sectoral planning and decision making. Knowledge on biodiversity, including its values, functioning, status and trends, should be enhanced to better inform sectoral planning and decision making.
9. The BSAP should be jointly developed, adopted, and owned by a wide range of stakeholders from different sectors. The process should be open, participatory, transparent and ongoing.
10. The BSAP should be based on sound science and practices. The actions should be prioritised, effective, practical, realistic and subject to monitoring.

i. The above proposed vision, mission and principles are presented here solely for facilitating discussion in the consultation on formulating the first BSAP of Hong Kong, and should not be construed as final as they are subject to modifications and revisions by the Government after taking in the views received in the public consultation, the prevailing circumstances in Hong Kong as well as any further deliberation within the Government.

ii. Nothing in the proposed vision, mission and principles represents or constitutes any decision made by the Government or any public officer, or (ii) shall give rise to any rights or expectations, or (iii) shall be construed as a policy or an undertaking of the Government or any public officer, or relied upon by any person or entity against the Government or any public officer.

Thirty-three Key Actions have been recommended by the BSAP Steering Committee for government's consideration. They are listed here.