Bulletin Spring‧Summer 2005

Environment Protection 'T h e C h in e s e U n iv e r s ity s h o u ld n o t s e ttle fo r a b a re pass in en viro nm e n ta l standards. We sh o u ld aim h ig h in sustainable campus g re e n in g ,' rem a rke d L am K in Che, p ro fe sso r in the D e p a rtm e n t o f G e o g ra p h y a n d Re sou rce M a n a g em e n t, o n th e e x p e c ta tio n s o f U n iv e rs ity members and his goals. C h a irm a n o f the U n iv e rs ity S teering C omm itte e on E n viro nm e n t (USCE) since a u tum n 2004, Prof. Lam is c om m itte d to im p ro v in g the campus en viro nm e n t in o rd e r to p ro v id e staff and students w ith ideal c o n d itio n s fo r w o r k in g a n d s tu d y in g . H e is also an e x p e rt in en viro nm en ta l im p a ct assessment in H o n g Kong, and cha irm an o f the go vernm ent's A d v is o ry C o u n cil on the E n vironm ent. P rio r to that, he h a d been c h a irm a n o f the E n v iro n m e n ta l Im p a c t A ssessm ent Sub comm ittee o f the council fo r eight years. The sub-comm ittee is responsible fo r assessing the environm ental im pact o f various in fra stru ctu ra l projects in the te rrito ry and a d visin g the go vernm ent on related policies. 'T h e Chinese U n iv e rs ity has a b e a u tifu l cam pus o f w h ic h w e are ve ry p ro u d . The recent o p p o s itio n to the fe llin g o f trees ne xt to the L i D a k S um B u ild in g s h ow s th a t U n iv e r s ity m em b e rs tre a su re o u r en viro nm en t.' USCE Priorities Prof. Lam believes th a t the p rim a ry task o f the USCE is to perfe ct the po licy-m a kin g system, set u p an effective structure and procedures, and fo rm u la te c le a r o b je c tiv e s , s ta n d a rd s , a n d g u id e lin e s . In these un de rta king s, it requires the p a rtic ip a tio n o f a ll C U H K u n its, colleges, staff and students. T hrou gh com m u n ica tion and co llab o ra tion w ith all parties concerned, it w ill strive to m in im iz e the e n viro nm en ta l im p a ct o f projects and achieve sustainable development. Importance of Dialogue Prof. Lam is also a m ember o f the governm ent's C oun cil fo r Sustainable D e velopm ent, w h ich , u n d e r the leadership o f D r. Edgar W .K . Cheng, its vice -cha irm an and cha irm an o f the U n iv e rs ity C oun cil, form ulates p o lic ie s o n s u s ta in a b le d e v e lo pm e n t fo r H o n g K o n g . P rof. L am 's experience w ith the cou n cil has made h im aware o f the im portan ce o f sta ke h o ld e r p a rtic ip a tio n and m a in ta in in g transparency. P rof. Lam po in te d o u t tha t campus developm ent should be preceded b y efforts to u n d e rs ta n d th e e n v ir o n m e n ta l v ie w s o f U n iv e r s ity m em b e rs ; co n su lta tio n is an im p o rta n t aspect o f m o d e rn p u b lic a dm in istra tio n . 'A good e n viro nm e n t p o lic y sho u ld be b u ilt on consensual objectives w h ic h are sup po rte d b y a clear p o lic y -m a k in g structure, standards fo r im p lem e n ta tio n and gu ideline s.' A n d before consensus can be reached, there m ust be adequate comm unication, tim e ly consultation, and a h ig h degree o f transparency. 18 Chinese University Bulletin Spring • Summer 2005