Wetlands are key to securing a climate-resilient Northern Metropolis

Hong Kong’s wetlands play a vital role in flood protection but this function has been largely ignored

Respecting and tapping into the existing ecosystem can help protect the Northern Metropolis and other coastal areas in the region that are vulnerable to climate change

4-MIN READ4-MIN

Published: 9:30am, 18 Nov 2023Updated: 12:14pm, 18 Nov 2023

Super Typhoon Saola and the record-breaking black rainstorm in September were stark reminders that, even in a modern city such as Hong Kong, we live within natural ecosystems. As a result of climate change, such extreme weather is happening more frequently, with greater intensity, and affecting more places around the world.

As a result, we must act urgently to enhance our city’s resilience. Much discussion has focused on the need to upgrade our existing infrastructure, which would involve hefty expenditure, many people, a protracted process and the emission of substantial greenhouse gases.

The planned Northern Metropolis encompasses a large area of floodplain wetland, mangrove and fish ponds in the northwestern New Territories, where flood risk is already a concern. Hong Kong’s wetland ecosystem is of international importance to the migratory water birds along the East Asia-Australasia Flyway.

According to the Northern Metropolis development strategy, the government plans to establish a comprehensive wetlands protection system of some 2,000 hectares. These wetlands have the highly beneficial effect of increasing the climate resilience of Hong Kong, but this function has been largely ignored.