Michael Lai has been appointed member of the Council for Sustainable Development while 15 incumbent members have been re-appointed. Appointed for a two-year tenure, their appointments came into effect from March 1.

The Chief Secretary for Administration has been re-appointed the council chairman for two years while Dr Edgar Cheng has been re-appointed vice-chairman for one year.

They 15 re-appointed members are:

* Dr Lily Chiang;

* Choy So-yuk;

* Barrie Cook;

* Christine Fang;

* Michael Jebsen;

* Thomas Kwok;

* Professor Lam Kin-che;

* Andrew Liao;

* Otto Poon;

* Tai Hay-lap;

* Professor Tsui Lap-chee;

* Secretary for Economic Development & Labour;

* Secretary for the Environment, Transport & Works;

* Secretary for Health, Welfare & Food; and

* Secretary for Housing, Planning & Lands.

The council was established in March 2003 to advise the Government on issues relating to sustainability in Hong Kong.

In the past two years, the council has launched a stakeholder engagement process to involve the community in formulating a sustainable development strategy for Hong Kong.

It also advised on the distribution of nearly $11 million from the Sustainable Development Fund to support community projects aimed at raising public awareness of sustainability issues.