Letters | Precious public input needed to protect Hong Kong’s biodiversity

Readers discuss how to lower the risk of local extinction, urban planning in a warmer world, and the glory days of curio shops in the city

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The Northern Metropolis is a 30,000-hectare development project planned for the New Territories. Local extinction is often irreversible, which underscores the need for proactive measures like integrating biodiversity into development planning. Photo: May Tse

Published: 11:30am, 29 Jun 2025

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Under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Hong Kong launched a city-level Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP) in 2016, which is now due for an update. The two-month public consultation for an updated plan is a critical opportunity for citizens to share their views.

A recent report, “The State of Hong Kong Biodiversity 2025”, reveals that around a quarter of assessed species are at risk of local extinction. Animals which are dependent on lowland habitats, such as wetland birds and freshwater fishes, are particularly at risk. Local extinction is often irreversible, which underscores the need for proactive measures like habitat restoration, stronger anti-poaching laws and integrating biodiversity into development planning.

Speaking as a member of the Hong Kong Biodiversity Expert Group (HKBEG), which submitted more than 100 expert recommendations for the BSAP, it is disappointing to see few of them reflected in the 37-page public consultation document.

Representatives from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) used the Chinese saying, “Cast a brick to attract jade,” to justify the omission of details from the document. If this document is a “brick”, “jade” represents the public’s valuable input and support, which the department desperately needs.

It’s essential to note that the AFCD staff working on the BSAP are experts who understand the importance of implementing the HKBEG recommendations. A careful inspection of the document reveals traces of these recommendations, reflected in the four focus areas, examples of proposed actions and guiding questions.