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ECO WARRIORS

YOU SHOULD KNOW

H O N G K O N G

CRAIG LEESONWHY HIM? Craig’s documentary A Plastic Ocean, hailed by David Attenborough as “the most important film of our time,” has raised awareness of the global plastic pollution crisis. Turn to page 124 to learn more about his next documentary.

DOUGLAS WOODRING WHY HIM? A leading expert on plastic pollution, Douglas is the founder and managing director of the Ocean Recovery Alliance, which was awarded the 2018 Prince’s Prize for Innovative Philanthropy by Prince Albert II of Monaco. Turn to page 128 for more on his latest projects.

LAUREL CHORWHY HER? With the support of the National Geographic Society, Laurel founded the Hong Kong Explorers, which aims to encourage people to explore and appreciate the city’s wilderness by compiling a database of its flora and fauna. A National Geographic Young Explorer, she is also an ambassador for the Jane Goodall Institute. THAT’S NOT ALL She’s working with Vice News, where she produces articles and documentaries about a range of global issues.

PAUL ZIMMERMAN WHY HIM? An activist since his teenage years in the Netherlands, the Southern District councillor and co-founder of the Civic Party has long championed sustainable planning and urban renewal. THAT’S NOT ALL More recently, as chairman of the Citizens Task Force on Land Resources, he has argued that Hong Kong doesn’t need large-scale reclamation or to infringe on country parks to meet its future housing needs.

CHRISTINE LOH WHY HER? With roles ranging from

chairperson of the Society for the Protection of the Harbour and under-secretary for the

environment in former chief executive CY Leung’s administration to her current position

as chief development strategist at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s

Division of Environment and Sustainability, Christine’s commitment to a sustainable

Hong Kong has remained constant for decades. THE NEXT FRONTIER Using Hong Kong’s expertise in areas such as

slope management, water management and air-quality control to benefit Mainland China.

SEAN LEE-DAVIESWHY HIM? Sean is the founder and CEO of a non-profit organisation called Project C:Change—with “C” standing for climate, conservation and consciousness—an environmental initiative that raises funds and awareness in Asia. THAT’S NOT ALL A passionate conservationist and photographer, Sean launched Awethentic Gallery, the first art

and virtual-reality concept space and studio in Hong Kong. Recent exhibitions include the

multimedia show Love Is Wild, which raised funds to combat the illegal trade in wildlife.

We’ve all read about the perils of climate change, but who’s actually doing anything about it? The editors of Asia’s Tatler titles, having assessed

eco-activism across the continent, introduce leading figures who have made saving the environment their priority, whether it’s protecting Malaysia’s

endangered tigers, establishing eco-focused political parties or investing billions of dollars in clean-energy initiatives

Words by OLIVER GILES, RACHEL DUFFELL, STEVEN CRANE AND EMMA HEYN

MARKUS SHAW WHY HIM? Markus has dedicated his life to making Hong Kong an eco-friendly city, first as the chairman of WWF’s Hong Kong board, then as a co-founder of the NGOs Designing Hong Kong and the Clean Air Network, and more recently as chairman of the Walk DVRC project, which aims to turn traffic-choked Des Voeux Road Central into a pedestrian oasis. Turn to page 126 to read about Markus’s hopes for the Walk DVRC initiative.

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I n the beginning there was the Praya, a stretch of Hong Kong’s waterfront and the heart of Chinese entrepreneurship. Then, with reclamation of the harbour, the Praya became Des Voeux Road Central (DVRC). In those days, trams and foot traffic on

the key thoroughfare interacted freely, and there were no barriers squeezing pedestrians into narrow footpaths. But today, DVRC is a mess, a horrendous pedestrian experience, the most polluted street along the north shore of Hong Kong Island, and neither disabled-friendly nor elderly-friendly. The side streets are uninviting and underused; there’s serious traffic congestion; and the street furniture, such as it exists, is poorly designed and badly executed. Cities like New York, Paris, Madrid or Singapore, which understand the benefits of valuing people over cars, have turned or are turning their CBDs into desirable destinations attractive to workers and visitors alike. We can do this too. In fact, I believe Hong Kong can do it better.

To this end, Walk DVRC, of which I am chair, was founded in January last year as a non-governmental organisation to move forward a project for the revitalisation of DVRC between Pedder Street and Western Market. The plan envisages a fairer sharing of space between vehicles and pedestrians, with the trams and one eastbound vehicle lane continuing to operate and the rest of the street being given over to pedestrians. This would result in an immediate reduction in air pollution and an improved walking experience, making the whole area much more pleasant for visitors and those working there.

But the project is not only about DVRC; the pedestrianisation would promote the regeneration of our entire decaying CBD, creating vibrant neighbourhoods and showcasing the rich history of this unique area. This isn’t about gentrification. It’s about opening up a neglected space that has significant cultural value to the city.

Walk DVRC is a placemaking opportunity that is also about connectivity and accessibility. Des Voeux Road Central runs right through the middle of iconic sites such as Tai Kwun, PMQ, Man Mo Temple, Central Market and Western Market. Pedestrianising the thoroughfare will give residents and visitors easy, comfortable access to all of these great sites.

The scheme sounds ambitious, and I’m not saying it will be easy. Was the pedestrianisation

of a section of Broadway in New York easy? Will the pedestrianisation of Singapore’s Orchard Road, or the proposal to ban cars from downtown Madrid, be easy? We’re under no illusion that we can achieve our final goal all at once, so we’re working on two projects to demonstrate the feasibility of Walk DVRC’s vision.

The first is an international design competition, with designers, architects and urban planners around the world invited to submit concepts for the transformation of DVRC. The competition criteria require the proposals to be realistic and feasible. The winner will be announced in December during Business of Design Week and will have the opportunity to address forums during the event.

We’re also working on staging a Sheung Wan Fiesta involving the pedestrianisation of two blocks of DVRC, from Western Market to Hillier Street, for 90 days. A gastronomy element will showcase local food, there’ll be a strong arts and cultural element involving local talent and, more importantly, there will be sitting out, greening and gaming areas that will show the community how the street can be used for pleasure when cars are not present. The fiesta will enable us to measure the day-to-day impact of pedestrianisation on people’s lives and how traffic patterns change. We’re applying for funding at the moment—the budget is around HK$12 million—and hoping to stage the fiesta next year.

I’ve been involved in many environmental campaigns and this is the first in which no one I speak to thinks it’s a bad idea. The city’s young people have a very different vision for Hong Kong than their parents and grandparents. In the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, the population was growing by one million people a decade. That presented huge challenges, which we met by building public housing, hospitals, schools and roads.

Today, the city’s population is stable and young people are more interested in the environment, health, community living and friendly neighbourhoods. By turning DVRC into a walkable district, Hong Kong will be joining other world-class cities in valuing people over cars and prioritising health and well-being.

Walk DVRC is currently raising HK$2 million to fund the design competition and fiesta. If you would like to donate, please email jennifer@walkdvrc.hk

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Environmentalist Markus Shaw explains how an exciting initiative close to his heart would transform the central business district

through the creation of a pedestrian-friendly zone

THE ROAD AHEAD Markus Shaw on Des Voeux Road Central

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