SUSTAINABILITY AND COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT IN HONG-KONG - THE CASE OFMIRS BAY

Hong Kong's coastal zone is under considerable stress as a result of c ontinuing population growth, large-scale infrastructure developments, extensive land reclamation projects, the ineffective control of variou s types of pollution, and a growing problem of cross-border pollution associated with rapid development in neighbouring parts of Mainland Ch ina. Policy-related and institutional weaknesses have resulted in a fa ilure to tackle environmental problems in a comprehensive and integrat ed manner, little attention has been given to sustainability issues, a nd Hong Kong lacks a clear framework for coastal zone planning and man agement. Mirs Bay, on the eastern margins of Hong Kong, remains one of the few relatively unpolluted parts of the territory's marine environ ment. It contains a rich and diverse marine flora and fauna, and is th e location of two of Hong Kong's designated marine parks. However, eve n this area of high ecological value may now be under threat from futu re development, and increased levels of pollution from both Hong Kong and Mainland sources. The paper examines environmental conditions in M irs Bay, reviews existing evidence regarding pollution levels and chan ges in marine biodiversity, evaluates threats to the Bay's environment , and discusses whether, in the context of Hong Kong's existing approa ches to environmental protection, it is possible to protect this area of high quality marine environment from irreversible degradation.