water conservancy的八卦，Yahoo名人娛樂都在討論

Did you catch the spectacular iridescent cloud yesterday? Alas I missed it because we were in Parliament listening to Heng Swee Keat deliver his #SGBudget2017 speech. We were all happy to see him back in the Chamber, after nearly a year’s absence.

Budget 2017 includes many measures to prepare ourselves to grow in the midst of uncertainty.

Immediate measures to boost the economy include corporate tax rebates for companies, helping SMEs to build their digital capabilities, and bringing forward $700mil of public sector projects to boost the construction industry.

Households and families get higher U-Save rebates, a one-off GST Voucher, enhanced Service & Conservancy Charges rebates, and increased CPF Housing Grants. This support will help people cope with the cost of living, including the higher water tariffs. Water is a precious and strategic resource which we must husband.

To realise a more inclusive society, Voluntary Welfare Organisations and charities will get more funding, and so will community and high performance sports.

To make Singapore greener, a new carbon tax on greenhouse emissions will take effect from 2019.

To transform our economy for the long haul, we will spend $2.4bil to implement the recommendations of the CFE Report (http://bit.ly/2lgmeQ2).

Find out more about these measures and watch the speech on the Singapore Budget website here: http://www.singaporebudget.gov.sg/

I recently posted about the achievements of young Singaporeans (bit.ly/2kk7xss, bit.ly/2lhNCNQ). They are creating new paths and crossing new frontiers that we did not even dream of. The budget will provide the resources to propel us forward. For Singapore to succeed, we need to work hard, and move forward together. – LHL

(Photo courtesy of Jacqueline Choo)

明明可以用的地還有
明明要從需求落手，又不去做
一定要開發郊野公園，是何居心?!
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一寸都不能少!!

【環保團體聯合聲明】
【Joint Statement from Green Groups】

反對開發郊野公園 不接受「可加可減」
郊野公園具重要旅遊康樂及規劃功能 港人重要綠色寶庫
應先善用棕土、軍營及閒置土地

Objection to Developing Country Parks and the Adjustment Mechanism
Make Use of Brownfield Sites, Military Camps and Spare Land

行政長官梁振英向傳媒公開表示，已指示政府部門就發展郊野公園作研究。環保團體對此感到十分憤怒，因為社會有眾多聲音明確反對開發郊野公園，政府當局仍然一意孤行，更為此目的投放資源作具體行動，是蓄意與社會製造矛盾。
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香港仍有不少可作發展的土地，過去房屋問題只源自「分配不均」。政府多年來逃避檢討「丁屋政策」（為丁屋預留土地）、未有動用閒置的軍營、未有以「棕土優先」發展等，為導致目前情況的主要原因。政府亦沒有正視大量住宅單位空置及私樓單位成為投資工具的問題，是政府的政策出錯，卻以缺地作掩飾。明明有其他可行及有共識的可用土地，政府仍以老人家及公屋輪候冊上的人為人質，提出發展郊野公園，是絕不可接受。
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郊野公園是香港重要的特色，亦是重要綠色寶庫，除包含保護珍貴生態的環境價值，亦有旅遊（香港的郊野公園世界聞名）、社會（供大眾休憩）、規劃（限制城市過度擴張）等重要功能。郊野公園亦是重要集水區，讓足夠雨水流入周邊的水塘，提供港人生命之源。郊野公園有大量樹木，吸收二氧化碳，抵銷部份因燃燒化石燃料產生的溫室氣體，紓緩全球暖化。郊野公園亦有無以彌補的珍貴地質地貌。
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梁振英指可選取「生態價值較低」的地帶發展，我們並不同意。郊野公園的一草一木、花鳥蟲魚皆是生命，她們亦有自身存在的意義與價值，而生態價值亦沒有百份百客觀標準衡量。梁振英提出郊野公園「可加可減」機制，更是保育的「語言偽術」，。現存的每一片郊野公園的地理位置、地勢、環境及生態本來就獨一無二，不應被任何藉口取締，以另一處新郊野公園「面積」作交換是誤人耳目。
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梁振英在未有善用棕土、軍營及閒置土地之前，就提倡開發郊野公園邊陲，是規劃目標錯誤。房屋問題亦不能單靠盲目覓地處理，亦需要同時透過人口政策，控制房屋需求來解決。大自然一旦遭破壞將無法復原，絕不應發展香港人引以為傲的郊野公園。
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2017年1月26日
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The Chief Executive Mr. CY Leung told the media that he has instructed relevant departments to conduct a study on developing country parks. Green Groups are furious and strongly opposed to this, as the public has already voiced opposition to the development of country parks. However, the government still insists on doing so and, furthermore, devotes more resources to this, deliberately leading to conflict within our community.
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In fact, there is still a lot of land available for development in Hong Kong. The housing shortage problem has originated from “Uneven Distribution”. Over the years, the government has avoided reviewing the “Small House Policy” (land designated for New Territories Exempted Houses), unused Military Camps and Brownfield sites. These are the main reasons for the present situation. Moreover, the government has failed to address the problem of vacant housing units and private flats used for investment and speculation purposes, falsely presenting the situation as a “lack of land”. As there are other land resource options, it is totally unacceptable for the government to use the welfare of the elderly as an excuse for developing country parks.
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Country Parks are important features and treasures in Hong Kong. Apart from the environmental value of preserving our precious ecology, they are also well-known for eco-tourism, community enjoyment (for public recreation) and even have a role to play in urban planning (for preventing over-expansion of the urban areas). Country parks are also important water catchment areas, which allow rainwater to flow into surrounding reservoirs. Furthermore, trees in country parks can absorb carbon dioxide and offset some of the greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels, which relieves global warming.
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Mr. CY Leung pointed out that low ecological parts of country parks can be developed. We totally disagree with his claims. All the plants, flowers and birds in the country parks have their own meaning and value to the natural environment. Ecological value cannot be measured in objective criteria. He further suggested the “Adjustment Mechanism” in Country Parks, which we consider to be “weasel words” designed to mislead the public about conservation. The geographical location, the terrain, environment and the ecology of each existing country park are unique and should not be replaced by any excuses. The exchange of another “new” country park area is totally a mistake.
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Mr. CY Leung hasn’t made good use of brownfield sites, military campsites or spare land before advocating the development of country park borders. Hong Kong’s housing problem could also be solved not just by finding land but also by controlling housing demand through a population policy. Once the natural environment is destroyed, it cannot be restored to what it was before. Therefore, the government should not develop our country parks, which are the pride of Hong Kong people.
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＊＊＊聯署團體（不分先後，按名稱字母排序）＊＊＊
＊＊＊Co-sign Parties (Alphabetical Order)＊＊＊
伊甸方舟 Ark Eden
Association for Geoconservation, Hong Kong 香港地貌岩石保育協會
Clear The Air 爭氣行動
創建香港 Designing Hong Kong
香港大學學生會理學會環境生命科學學會 HKU Environmental Life Science Society
Friends of the Earth (HK) 香港地球之友
海下之友 Friends of Hoi Ha
大浪灣之友 Friends of Tailongwan
綠領行動 Greeners Action
綠色社區 Green Community
綠色大嶼山協會 Green Lantau Association
綠色和平東亞分部 Green Peace East Asia
綠色力量 Green Power
環保觸覺 Green Sense
香港自然生態論壇 HKWildlife.net
Hong Kong Bird Watching Society 香港觀鳥會
島嶼活力行動 Living Islands Movement - LIM
群峰學會 Range Education Centre
長春社 The Conservancy Association
綠惜地球 The Green Earth
香港自然探索學會​ Society of Hong Kong Nature Explorers Kong Nature Explorers

謝謝環團們

武力豈能止暴制亂 政治問題政治解決

無論抱持那一方的立場，必須承認暴力已把我城推向危險邊緣。

暴力 -\-\ 更別說濫暴 – 無從解決深層次政治衝突及平息社會動盪。發射更多的催淚彈、橡膠子彈和出動水炮車，只會為市民和香港造成不可修復的傷害。

催淚彈是化學武器。過去五個月，在這個密集城市發射超過7500枚催淚彈，波及購物商場、住宅屋邨、大學、中小學，甚至幼稚園這千家萬戶活動的地方，使平民暴露在有害化學物中，在文明社會是瘋狂和全然不可接受的行為，而這些事正正在這裡發生。催淚煙無論對示威者，抑或是無辜市民，都會造成嚴重的急性和潛在的長期健康影響，尤其是幼童和長者。

請問，這是特首林鄭月娥的意願嗎？

市民無從得悉這些化學武器釋放甚麼化學物質及其長期健康影響。食物及衞生局和環境局應立刻向公眾提供暴露在這些化學物下的健康風險，並提供有效紓緩這些殘餘影響的方法。

所有政客及當局必須明辨，暴力不能解決政治衝突，政治衝突只能透過對話和協商解決。

我們一致促請特首林鄭月娥：
（一）指令警隊恪守使用武器的嚴格指引，停止濫用暴力，以免加深社會恐懼和傷害市民；

（二）接納並跟從本地及海外專家的建議，就所有社會動盪事件及催淚煙的健
康影響進行獨立調查；

（三）在各區繼續進行對話會，使公眾的意見能在平和的情況下公開交流，同時有關當局亦應提供建設性的建議。

聯署聲名由以下團體聯合發佈

生態教育及資源中心 Eco-Education and Resources Centre
守護大嶼聯盟 Save Lantau Alliance
香港大學學生會理學會生態學及生物多樣性學會 Ecology & Biodiversity Society, SS, HKUSU
香港自然生態論壇 HKWildlife.net
香港自然探索學會 Society of Hong Kong Nature Explorers
綠色力量 Green Power
綠惜地球 The Green Earth
綠領行動 Greeners Action
長春社 The Conservancy Association
龍尾環境教育中心 Lung Mei Environmental Education Centre
自然脈絡 Natural Network
綠適朋友 Friends of Green
綠活地圖 wherevergreen
350香港 350HK
生態巴士 Ecobus
嗚鴉自然教室 Project crow
香港兩棲及爬蟲協會Hong Kong Society of Herpetology Foundation
低碳想創坊 CarbonCare InnoLab
大嶼山愛護水牛協會 Lantau Buffalo Association
南地球 Greeners South

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Green Groups’ joint statement to call for subsiding the elevated social unrest

No matter which side of the political divide you find yourself standing in, all of us would agree that our society is being pushed by brute forces towards a precipice.

Violence and the unchecked use of force will NOT resolve deep-seated political conflicts and will not settle social unrests. The firing of more tear gas canisters, the deployment of water cannons, and the shooting of rubber bullets will do unrepairable harms to people of all walks of life as well as all of Hong Kong.

Tear gas is a chemical weapon. The shooting of over 7,500 pieces of tear gas canisters over the last five months into almost every district of this high-density compact city-\-\with ordinary Hongkongers in shopping malls, residential estates, universities, schools and even kindergartens exposed to a complex mix of harmful chemicals-\-\is insane and is a totally unacceptable behaviour in a civilized society, which we claim to be one here in Hong Kong. The chemicals released by tear gas can cause severe acute effects and potentially long-term health impacts on those who have been intentionally targeted, or inadvertently exposed to, especially young children and the elderly.

Is this the intention of the Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor?

The public do not know what chemical substances have been released by these chemical weapons as well as their long-term health impacts. The Food and Health Bureau and the Environment Bureau should immediately advise the general public in regard to the types and extents of health hazards resulting from the exposure to such chemicals and recommend effective methods to remedy any residual effects from the exposure to these chemicals used by this administration.

Politicians of all stripes and the administration should be aware that brute forces can never resolve political conflicts—they can only be resolved via dialogues and negotiations.

We urge the Chief Executive Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to:

order the Police Force to strictly adhere to the stringent guidelines in using their weapons and to refrain from metering out excessive violence so as not to aggravate social fear and unnecessary harms on innocent citizens
follow the advice of local and overseas professionals regarding an independent investigation of all the social unrest incidents, as well as the health impacts of tear gas
keep organizing townhall meetings in every district to allow the public to air their views in a calm setting and for the administration to offer constructive recommendations

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The joint statement is co-issued by the following green groups on 13 November 2019:
Eco-Education and Resources Centre 生態教育及資源中心
Ecology & Biodiversity Society, SS, HKUSU 香港大學學生會理學會生態學及生物多樣性學會
Greeners Action 綠領行動
Green Power 綠色力量
HKWildlife.net 香港自然生態論壇
Lung Mei Environmental Education Centre 龍尾環境教育中心
Save Lantau Alliance 守護大嶼聯盟
Society of Hong Kong Nature Explorers 香港自然探索學會
The Green Earth 綠惜地球
The Conservancy Association 長春社
Natural Network 自然脈絡
Mind Your Waste 毋忘垃圾
Friends of Green 綠適朋友wherevergreen 綠活地圖
350HK 350香港
Ecobus 生態巴士
Project crow 嗚鴉自然教室
Hong Kong Society of Herpetology Foundation 香港兩棲及爬蟲協會
低碳想創坊 CarbonCare InnoLab
大嶼山愛護水牛協會 Lantau Buffalo Association
Greeners South 南地球