| Abstract | Engineering solutions for common environmental problems have been available for many years but, such solutions have often not been widely applied to pre-empting or at least mitigating the effects of development. The article argues that one of the main reasons for this is the fragmentation of responsibility for environmental protection within Government administrations and the absence of clear policies in the environmental field. The article traces the development of environmental protection in Hong Kong, starting at the end of the 19th century, and attributes the dramatic increase in investment in environmental infrastructure in recent years, as well as the increased application of engineering expertise to the pre-emption or mitigation of environmental problems, to the much improved focus of environmental responsibilities within the Hong Kong Government that was brought about by the creation of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) in 1986. The effects of this in terms of engineering projects being realized on the ground is illustrated by reference to Hong Kong's Sewage Strategy and Wastes Disposal Strategy as well as the application of the environmental impact assessment process to such major projects as the new airport and power stations. |
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