Can Hong Kong be developed into a sustainable city

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Unit 5 Can Hong Kong be developed into a
sustainable city?
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I. What is a sustainable city?
1. What is a sustainable city?
A sustainable city is a city which follows the
principle of sustainable development in resource
allocation and planning for the future
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• Sustainable development
• Development that meets the needs of the present
  without compromising the ability of future
  generations to meet their own needs

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If a city is to be sustainable, plans for its
development must consider equally the economic,
environmental, social needs of the society
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We must also respect our natural environment so
that exploitation of natural resources in the
process of economic growth does not exceed the
carrying capacity of our earth
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2. What are the characteristics of a sustainable
city?
The key characteristics of a sustainable city are
that it is able to balance economic, social and
environmental demands in the process of urban
development
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The city can be sustainable in every aspect of
life
Natural environment
Textbook P. 170

• To protect air, water and other natural resources
  
• To conserve the habitat of fauna and flora

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Energy consumption

• Use of renewable energy such as solar and wind
  energy
• Strong energy conservation and management
  strategies

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Transport system

• Use of pollution-free and environmentally
  friendly transport such as railway
• Pedestrianisation of urban areas

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Resource management

• Efficient and effective use of resources

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Urban development

• Level of development within the carrying capacity
  of a place
• Strike a balance between urban development and
  environmental conservation

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• Achieve a competitive and prosperous market-based
  economy

Economy
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Social equity

• Respect for inter-generation and intra-generation
  interests
• Achieve equality of opportunity in the society

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Decision-making process

• Adequate public participation in making decisions
  about the future development of a city

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3. How can we measure the level of sustainable
development of a city?

• Economic, environmental and social indicators can
  be used to measure the performance of sustainable
  development of a city

• These indicators can help us to manage problems
  of development, and enable citizens to evaluate
  how successfully the society is moving towards
  higher levels of sustainability

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Refer to the maps and answer the following
questions.
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1. Compare and describe the changes of
coastline, reclaimed land area and the size of
Victoria Harbour in 1969 and 2003.
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2. What are the causes of these
changes? ______________________________________
____ __________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________ ____
______________________________________ ________
__________________________________ ____________
______________________________
As Hong Kong becomes more urbanised, there is an
increasing demand for land to accommodate
different types of development, particularly for
commercial land in the CBD. Since there is a lack
of flatland around Victoria Harbour and Central
District, reclamation is one solution that serves
this demand.
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3. What problems do you expect if this trend
continues? __________________________________
________ _______________________________________
___ __________________________________________
__________________________________________ ____
______________________________________ _________
_________________________________ ______________
____________________________ ___________________
_______________________ ________________________
__________________

• Victoria Harbour will shrink further in size.
• Harbour currents will become rougher and
• passages more dangerous.
• We will lose the beautiful scenery of the
  harbour
• and the tourism industry will be affected.
• Water pollution will become more serious as the
• water flow in this area will slow and pollutants
• will be more persistent because of less active
• drainage.

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Below is some information about the reclamation
project in Central District and Wan Chai. Study
carefully and answer the following questions.
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4. What are the objectives of the Central and
Wan Chai Reclamation Project? ________________
_________________________ ______________________
___________________
The reclaimed land is designated for
transportation and recreational land uses.
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5. Recently, there has been a heated debate on
the proposed reclamation in Central and Wan Chai.
There are different views expressed in the
community about the benefits and costs of the
reclamation. Below is a summary of groups who
support or object to the project.
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5. a. What are the views of those people who
support or object to the reclamation?

• Provide land for housing, community facilities
  and other uses
• Expand the area of CBD and facilitate commercial
  activities
• Provide land for transport facilities, such as
  the Central-Wan Chai Bypass, in order to solve
  the problem of traffic congestion
• Develop promenade that will attract tourists and
  the public
• Other reasonable answers

• The size of harbour becomes smaller and
  artificial
• Shrinked harbour increases the chance of sea
  accidents
• Dredging sands will pollute the harbour water
  quality becomes worse
• Dredging of sea bed will cause marine organisms
  to die because of lack of oxygen
• Other reasonable answers

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5. b. According to these different views, what
is the major conflict in the harbour
reclamation issue? ____________________________
_____________ _________________________________
________
It is the conflict between urban development and
environmental conservation.
6. Does urban development always conflict with
environmental conservation? ________________
_________________________
Free response
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Basic Principles of Urban Planning

• To provide land to meet the demand for
  residential, commercial, industrial,
  transportation, community, and recreational uses
• To ensure compatible and orderly patterns of land
  uses
• To provide the right developments in the right
  places at the right time

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Basic Principles of Urban Planning

• To balance different competing demands upon
  scarce land resources
• To promote sustainable development
• To conserve the natural environment and preserve
  over cultural heritage
• To use land resources sustainably, effectively
  and efficiently

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Basic Principles of Urban Planning

• To avoid delay in land development processes
• To encourage public participation in the planning
  process
• To protect the public interest

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There are building height restrictions of no more
than 60 m in shaded areas. Explain

• The major aim of restricting the building heights
  is to preserve the harbour view.
• Restrict heights of the buildings can lower
  building density,
• ensure buildings away from the waterfront can
  enjoy the sea view as well.
• Ensure the flow of air / air circulation / avoid
  air pollution

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What are the advantages of constructing the
proposed Harbour Park ?

• Supply of recreational land use to meet peoples
  needs.
• Harbour Park is constructed near the centre of
  Victoria Harbour, which allows people to enjoy
  the sea view from a closer point.
• It becomes a new tourist attraction which can
  promote Hong Kongs tourism.
• Lower the density of development / more open
  space and green area

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Do you think the following groups would support
or oppose the reclamation project in Wan Chai?

• Land developers support.
• It is because reclamation in Wan Chai increases
  supplies of land in Central Business District
  (CBD).
• Land developers can build high value commercial
  buildings and make large profits.
• It also provides land to build new roads which
  can ease the traffic congestion problem,
• favouring business development and land price
  increases.

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Do you think the following groups would support
or oppose the reclamation project in Wan Chai?

• Environmentalist oppose.
• It is because reclamation project involves
  dredging of seabed, which releases toxins in
  sludge. This disturbs marine ecology and a lot of
  marine organisms or fishes will die.
• It also narrows down Victoria Harbour and
  increases the risk of sea traffic accidents.
• Further reduction in the size of Victoria Harbour
  affects the beauty of the sea.
• The reclamation project also causes water, air
  and noise pollution

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What can the Government do?

• Transport policy
• Mass transit system
• Railway as backbone
• Pedestrainisation
• Energy policy
• Clean fuels e.g. LPG taxi
• Renewal energy e.g. wind power

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What can the Government do?

• Land use policy
• Urban planning urban renewal
• Rural planning green new towns
• Waste and sewage disposal policy
• Waste treatment
• Sewage treatment
• Polluters pay principle
• Encourage reduce and recycling

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What can the Government do?

• Conservation
• Environmental conservation
• Eco-tourism
• green farming
• Heritage perservation
• Environmental education
• Green building technology
• Set up sustainable unit

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What can the business sector do?

• Environmentally friendly way / design of
  production
• Better workplace

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What can individual do?

• Energy conservation
• Water conservation
• Active recycling effort e.g. BYOB
• Education and participation