The Advisory Council on the Environment and its Environmental Impact Assessment Subcommittee will open up part of their meeting sessions to the public from mid-December.

The decision was made after taking into account the major public interest in environmental impact assessment reports. The arrangement is an administrative arrangement and not a statutory requirement.

Sessions to be opened up are:

* presentation and question-and-answer sessions of a discussion item on environmental impact assessment reports at the Environmental Impact Assessment Subcommittee meeting requiring the attendance of the project proponent team; and

* presentation and question-and-answer sessions of an Advisory Council on the Environment meeting discussion item when the advisory council discusses a report submitted by the Environmental Impact Assessment Subcommittee on environmental impact assessment reports requiring the attendance of the project proponent team.

Other than these sessions, internal discussion sessions of a discussion item on an environmental impact assessment report and all other sessions of the meetings of the advisory council and its subcommittees will remain closed. 

People may observe the open sessions in the Public Viewing Room on 33/F, Revenue Tower, Wan Chai. Seating capacity is limited and seats will be allocated through advance booking on a first come, first served basis. For details, click here.