Hong Kong Airport at Chek Lap Kok

	CASE NUMBER:			432	
	CASE MNEMONIC:			AIRPORT
	CASE NAME:			HONG KONG AIRPORT



A. 	IDENTIFICATION

1.	The Issue

Hong Kong Airport at Chek Lap Kok impact on the habitat and lives of the people residing and
visiting Hong Kong.

2.	Description





HONG KONG AIRPORT
AT
CHEK LAP KOK







	The island of Hong Kong has changed drastically over 150 years when Lord Palmerston
first voiced his skepticism over the potential of the large rock of an island.  Since that time, Hong
Kong has grown, so much so that Kai Tak, Hong Kong's current airport, has been operating at
capacity for years and increases in both passenger and cargo traffic are expected to have
continuous, robust growth.  Therefore, Hong Kong in order to sustain its current rate of economic
growth an alternative site for an airport was created, literally.

	In 1991, the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) signed a Memorandum of Understanding recognizing
the need for a new airport and requiring the Hong Kong Government to complete the new airport
"to the maximum extent possible" by 30. June 1997.  An Airport Authority was established in
accordance with the MOU and under the authorization of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.  The
Airport Authority was also modeled after the government owned Mass Transit Railway
Corporation, which is responsible for building the infrastructure needed for the Chek Lap Kok
Airport.  The Airport Authority began operating on 1. December 1996.

	Overseeing both the Airport Authority and the Mass Transit Railway Corporation is the
Hong Kong Airport Core Program (Airport Core Program).  The Airport Core Program projects
include the new airport, the airport railway, five road projects, two major land reclaimations, and
a new town.  The Airport Core Program is being overseen by the New Airport Projects Co
ordination Office (NAPCO).  NAPCO has been a liaison between Government works
departments and non-Government agencies to ensure that potential problems, such as logistics
and budgeting, can be remedied in a efficient manner.

	The Government of Hong Kong has stated many of the benefits of the Airport Core
Program.  The main benefits to be seen for the community is an ease of congestion, improved
road and rail facilities, and the airport itself.  The closure of Kai Tak will also provide benefits
for the 350,000 residents living under its flight path.  The economic benefits are the creation of
employment opportunities for local workers.  16,800 employment opportunities have been
created during the construction period.  It has been estimated that the new airport and the Airport
Railway will create 6,000 new jobs.  Other benefits include having a new airport located away
from the urban area, the first road link between Lantau Island and Hong Kong, and the
development of a new town.

	The Government of Hong Kong throughout this process has been conducting
environmental impact assessment studies, and states that they have been an integral part to the
Airport Core Program planning and design.  A couple of the measures that have been undertaken
are the installation of noise barriers and enclosures, and window insulation to decrease noise
exposure from construction sites.  Another measure that has been employed is general
housekeeping at the construction sites to keep dust to a minimum.

	The design of the island at Chek Lap Kok allows tidal water to flow between the sea and
the coastline of North Lantau.  This step has been taken to circulate water to the partially
enclosed areas of water to the east.  The design of the road and railway systems have also
included land reclamation, however, this has been done at a greater expense to the environment. 
A substantial portion of the North Lantau coastline involves reclamation, except for the coastline
that lies west of the Tung Chung.  The Government of Hong Kong has taken several mitigation
measures to keep the loss of wildlife and habitats at a minimum.  Ecological studies of the local
wetlands, seagrass beds, and mangrove communities were taken, resulting in the replanting of
mangroves and woodlands and the relocation of a colony of Romer's Tree Frogs.  The
Environmental Protection Department is the government body responsible to ensure that
environmental monitoring and audit programs are being conducted by the Airport Core Program.


	Traveling to Chek Lap Kok from Hong Kong has been carefully planned through the ten
Airport Core Program projects.



The first project that one would encounter leaving Hong Kong Island is the Central Reclamation. 
This project, which is largely completed, will be the site of the Airport's Railway terminus on
Hong Kong Island and further develop the central business district.



The Western Harbour Crossing, which has opened, will be a dual, three lane, immersed tube road
tunnel.  It will link the West Kowloon Expressway on the West Kowloon reclamation with a new
section of elevated road in Hong Kong Island's Western District.  This tunnel besides providing
airport access, will serve to relieve some of the congestion at the two existing cross harbour
tunnels.



The West Kowloon Reclamation, which is largely completed, will provide housing for 91,000
people, commercial space, and much needed road and rail arteries.



The West Kowloon Expressway, which has opened, will serve the developments on the West
Kowloon reclamation and ease traffic congestion on local expressways.  It will run 4.2
kilometers from the northern portal of the Western Harbour Crossing to Lai Chi Kok.



The Airport Railway will provide two distinct rail services.  The Airport Express will be a fast
passenger link to the new airport at Chek Lap Kok.  The Lantau Line will be a domestic service
which will serve to relieve the Tsuen Wan Line.



The Tsing Yi sections of Route Three, one of the smaller projects, has been reengineered to
relieve congestion.



The Lantau Link will carry both road and railways connecting Tsing Yi to Ma Wan, and Ma Wan
to Lantau.  Its span of about 1.4 kilometers will make it the world's largest suspension bridge
carrying both road and rail traffic.



The North Lantau Expressway, which is completed, is a 12.5 kilometer, dual three lane highway
linking the Lantau Fixed Crossing to Tung Chung new town.



Tung Chung new town will eventually occupy two valleys at Tung Chung and Tai Ho on North
Lantau, in addition to a coastal strip of reclamation along the northern shore of Lantau Island.



Once you have passed through Tung Chung new town, you will have reached the new airport at
Chek Lap Kok.

3.	Related Cases
                Daya Plant Nuke
                SST Ozone Problem
                Hong Kong Pollution
                Mimamata and Trade
                Doosan Disaster
                Garbage in Taiwan
	Keyword Clusters
	(1): Trade Product: Transport
	(2): Bio-geography: Tropical
	(3): Environmental Problem: Habitat
4. 	Draft Author: Kimberly Helen Colvin (June 1997)

B.	LEGAL Clusters

5.	Discourse and Status: AGReement and COMPlete
6.	Forum and Scope: CHINA and UNILATeral
7.	Decision Breath: 1 (CHINA)
8.	Legal Standing: LAW

C.	GEOGRAPHIC Clusters

9.	Geographic Locations
	a.	Geographic Domain	:	ASIA
	b.	Geographic Site	:	South East Asia [ESASIA]
	c.	Geographic Impact	:	CHINA
10.	Sub-National Factors: YES
11.	Type of Habitat: HUMID

D.	TRADE Clusters

12.	Type of Measure: Treaty
13.	Direct v. Indirect Impacts: DIRect
14.	Relation of Measure to Environmental Impact
	a.	Directly Related	: YES, Transport
	b.	Indirectly Related	: NO
	c.	Not Related		: NO
	d.	Process Related	: YES, Habitat
15.	Trade Product Identification: TRANSPORT
16.	Economic Data

	The Airport Core Program projects have been estimated to cost $158.2 billion (U.S. $20 billion) in money of the day according to the Government of Hong Kong.

17.	Impact of Measure on Trade Competitiveness: LOW
18.	Industry Sector: TRANSPORT
19.	Exporter and Importer: HONG KONG and MANY

E.	ENVIRONMENTAL Clusters

20.	Environmental Problem Type: Habitat [HABIT]
21.	Name, Type, and Diversity of Species
		Name: Romer's Tree Frogs
		Type: Animal/Amphibian
		Diversity: colony
		IUCN Category: RARE
22.	Impact and Effect: HIGH and TRANSPORT
23.	Urgency and Lifetime: HIGH and HUNDREDS OF YEARS
24.	Substitutes: NO

F. OTHER Factors

25.	Culture: NO
26.	Trans-Border: NO
27.	Rights: NO
28.	Relevant Literature

Reference

Howlett, Bob, editor. Hong Kong 1996. Hong Kong: H. Myers, Government Printer, 	1996.

Articles

"Bids are Submitted to Develop Project at Hong Kong Site". Wall Street Journal. 	Monday, January 15, 1996; A:7A.

"DFS Group Forms Venture with Chinese for Duty-Free Shops". Wall Street Journal. 	Friday, August 23, 1996.

Web Sites

Hong Kong's New Airport at Chek Lap Kok

Hong Kong Airport Core Programme