(By Wilson Lau, research and project officer) Passions were running high last Saturday as government officials met the public for the second stage of consultation on reclamation in Hong Kong waters.
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What does the word “temporary” mean to you? In the case of the small-house policy, it means 40 years and more. It was first introduced in Hong Kong as a temporary measure to address housing needs of indigenous villagers in the New Territories. Today, it has been criticised as unsustainable and outdated. (more…)

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Hong Kong, 24 April 2013 … Independent policy think tank Civic Exchange today published a report on reviewing the Small House Policy (SHP) in Hong Kong. Entitled “Small House Policy II: An Update”, the report aims to provide an update of the development of the SHP over the past decade (2003–2012), to identify the existing problems and conflicts of the policy among different stakeholders, as well as to suggest a way forward.

The SHP has been in place for 40 years in Hong Kong, but it has been criticised as unsustainable and outdated. In the past decade, the administration has taken limited actions to address the issues related to the SHP in Hong Kong. (more…)

By Mandy Lao Man-Lei

As a continuation of Civic Exchange’s publication ‘Rethinking Small House Policy’ (2003), this report provides an update of the policy over the past decade (2003 – 2012),  identifies remaining problems and conflicts between different stakeholders (the government, the Heung Yee Kuk, indigenous villagers, non-indigenous residents, politicians, green groups, professionals and academics, and general public) and finally suggests a way forward.

[Download report | Press release]

Media coverage:

(By Carine Lai, project manager) While recent proposals by the Environment Bureau to control vehicles’ exhaust fumes have received much attention, it is also worth highlighting the role urban planning can play in reducing roadside air pollution. The “street canyon effect” can be reduced by improving ventilation, cutting vehicle use, reducing pedestrian exposure and mitigating pollutants.

The bureau’s master plan to improve our air quality mentions three urban planning policies: urban greening, pedestrian schemes and cycling networks. Yet, on closer examination, these policies are missing some key elements and are unlikely to have a major impact. (more…)

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(By Amber Marie Beard, Senior project manager) In our continued attempt to reduce our city’s energy consumption, Hong Kong’s environment minister Wong Kam-sing said last month that the government is moving forward on the phasing out of incandescent light bulbs.

After two years of discussion on the topic, the agreement takes not the form of legislation but rather of a voluntary “charter” among lighting vendors. Despite the fact that most other governments have opted for regulation in similar moves to phase out incandescent light bulbs, our environment minister said he remains “optimistic” that a voluntary charter in the private sector will work.
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