Rising sea levels, storm surges pose risks for Hong Kong's artificial island project

By Farah Master

As Hong Kong recovers from one of the strongest typhoons in decades, a controversial plan to build a vast artificial island is facing intense scrutiny from environmental groups, lawmakers and academics who say it will be vulnerable to rising sea levels and storms.

The East Lantau Metropolis plan, backed by powerhouse property developers including New World Development and Henderson Land, is the government's favoured option to address a chronic housing shortage in one of the world's most expensive property markets.

But the project, which envisions housing more than 1 million people across 1,700 hectares of reclaimed land, is probably the worst choice, said Lam Chiu-ying, a former director of Hong Kong's weather bureau.

"Unfathomable climate risk, destruction of 22 square kilometres of natural marine habitat, extremely costly - with the cost comparable to the total government reserves - and strategically vulnerable transport-wise," he said.

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