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the sectors that are most closely involved in this area, as well as sponsoring educational and research initiatives that will strengthen public knowledge and acceptance of the principles and practice of sustainable development.

Within government itself, we have already developed tools for evaluating major new projects or proposals in terms of their implications for Hong Kong's long-term sustainability. We shall continue to refine and adapt these tools as appropriate, taking account of experience and input from the relevant sectors.

International Cooperation

By stepping up our efforts to educate the public, to build partnerships and to establish a strong institutional framework, we hope to move towards the building of a truly sustainable city here in Hong Kong. But in working to this end, we must not lose sight of one essential fact. We are not alone.

Hong Kong is a place where life is intense, change is frequent and new issues surface quickly. We often spend so much time responding to challenges in our own society that we forget that we are part of a much bigger picture. For although we like to see ourselves as a distinct economic and social force, we must also recognize that in some respects we are simply a city in a region that is itself part of a much larger country. Moreover, our country is one of many in a world where the consequences of our actions can reach far beyond the boundaries of cities and states.

Business practices and investment decisions in the developed economies of the world can have a tremendous impact in other areas, particularly those that are less well equipped to deal with the demands of large and wealthy enterprises. Even the fickle preferences of individual consumers can make the difference between employment and redundancy in many parts of the world.

The effects of environmental neglect and careless use of energy resources similarly has far-reaching consequences for the health of everyone on the planet, regardless of where they live or their economic circumstances. Thoughtless pollution of our seas and waterways carries harmful and unpleasant side effects to neighbouring communities. The destruction of ancient and delicate ecological systems leaves the whole world a poorer and less diverse place.

Above all, the movement of people to and from different societies presents challenges to each of us in adapting to and attempting to shape the community that we live in for the benefit of all of our citizens. We need to recognize that society has to be inclusive and multi-faceted if we are to improve our overall quality of life in the long-term.

Again, this symposium provides us with an opportunity to cast our gaze wider, to learn more about what is happening in the neighbouring regions such as Guangdong and Macao and to benefit from the experience and expertise of speakers and participants from further afield. Through the speeches, panel discussions and workshops that will take place over the next day and a half, we will be able to get a real sense of the global nature of the cause of sustainable development, in all its aspects, as we look forward to the World Summit in Johannesburg in August and September this year.

Speaking some forty years ago, the former United States President Lyndon Johnson described his vision of what he called “The Great Society”. Although somewhat dated, much of what he said hold true for the vision of a sustainable city that we hope to realize in Hong Kong. In time, perhaps our success in enacting this vision will be realized by the extent to which we become, in Johnson's words: “A place where man can renew contact with nature…a place which honours creation for its own sake…a place where men are more concerned with the quality of their goals than the quantity of their goods.”

Thank you.

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