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The Council for Sustainable Development will start a public engagement process in June with a view to the formulation of a sustainable development strategy for Hong Kong.

The strategy will initially focus on renewable energy, sustainable urban planning and solid-waste management.

Chair of the Strategy Sub-committee Dr Edgar Cheng said after a meeting of the council today (March 22) that the engagement process would be different from conventional forms of public consultation. "It will be an interactive and ongoing process promoting partnership and dynamic exchanges.

"Three support groups have been formed and are making good progress under the leadership of the convenors, Ir Otto Poon, Professor Peter Hills and Mr Albert Lai," he said.

The target of the support groups is to come up with a programme by the end of May and to start the public engagement process in June.

At today's meeting, the council also considered a report from the Administration on the recent United Nations Asia-Pacific Leadership Forum, jointly convened by the People's Republic of China and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and hosted by the Hong Kong Government.

The council chairman, the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Donald Tsang, said he was glad that the success of the forum had prompted a suggestion to make the event an annual function for the Asia-Pacific Region.

"Hong Kong looks forward to collaborating with neighbouring places in promoting a sustainable future," Mr Tsang said.

During the meeting today, members also discussed and endorsed applications for grants from the Sustainable Development Fund. The applications came from a range of non-government organisations, academic institutions and business and community groups, and are aimed at promoting the principles of sustainability to the public, in particular the need to balance long-term social, economic and environmental concerns.

The chair of the Education and Publicity Sub-committee, Ms Christine Fang, said the sub-committee had been careful to scrutinise and assess each application according to the criteria and objectives stipulated by the fund.

"The sub-committee will shortly call for a second round of applications," she added.

A Government spokesman added that applicants would be individually notified before a public announcement was made.

Ends/Monday, March 22, 2004

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