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Transcript of remarks by SEN and DAFC
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     Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, and the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, Dr Leung Siu-fai, on the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) for Hong Kong and the control of the local ivory trade, at a media session at the Central Government Offices today (December 21):
 
Reporter: Mr Wong, 30 000 elephants were killed each year and the rangers also died protecting elephants, how can this Government morally justify delaying this immediate ban of ivory trade for five years?
 
Secretary for the Environment: We are considering the most timely and speedy way to ban the local ivory trade and also related issues. Certainly there are constraints and we have to respect the current laws and measures in Hong Kong. We thought about this issue over time and also talked with different key stakeholders in Hong Kong, and consider the current proposal is actually the best way to address the issue. There is a three-step approach so that we can implement those readily made measures as soon as possible. While it would take ultimately five years to completely ban the local ivory trade, the three-tier measures would incrementally phase out the demand for ivory, so it would be effective to address and respond to the international call.  
 
Reporter: Can the Government elaborate on the plan and how to enhance the management of the protected areas as well as the designation of the new park? Does it mean all the country parks will not be changed to residential areas?
 
Secretary for the Environment: Let me respond to this. The overall objective of conservation is, on the one hand, to conserve those areas with high ecological values, and at the same time we would like to conserve a reasonably high percentage of areas for various purposes, say for enjoyment by the public. So these are the basic performance targets that we should respect and also upkeep. I think that should be the principle.
 
Reporter: Does it mean that the (country) parks will not be changed to residential areas?
 
Secretary for the Environment: In the past, there are parts of country parks that may be used for some community use, say for cables or utilities. So there are existing mechanisms to consider how the established country park areas may be used for other land uses that could be benefiting to a wider community. There are existing mechanisms.
 
Reporter: Does the Government have any plan to buy back all the commercial-purpose ivory after phase three, or maybe offer compensation, or buy all the ivory back?
 
Secretary for the Environment: No.
 
Reporter: The idea of the BSAP to be implemented falls in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Convention states that the marine areas should be increased to about 20 per cent of the territory's water. Are there any hard targets or percentages in your report that you would like to implement as part of the strategy?
 
Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation: The target you just quoted is a global target. It is not a target for specific parties. Also, according to the Convention, every party or every city of a party should consider its own situation and try its best to contribute to the global efforts. So what we are trying to do is to protect more marine waters that are of high conservation value. That is why we have plans to designate more marine parks. We will do it step by step. But in the next five years, we will move forward with the designation of more marine parks. Hopefully, the total area of protected area in Hong Kong waters will be increased.
 
Reporter: Do you know to what level you would like to increase that area? Is there any target, or any estimation on the percentage?
 
Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation: Now the marine parks cover about 2 per cent of Hong Kong waters. By completing the designation of all marine parks we have planned in the coming five years, I think it may be going up to 4 or 5 per cent.
 
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
 
Ends/Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Issued at HKT 15:53
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