From its establishment in June 1994 to 2012, the Environment and Conservation Fund (“ECF”) received six government injections totalling $1.735 billion. In June 2013, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (“HKSAR”) Government injected an additional $5 billion into the ECF as seed money. The ECF placed the injected funding with the Hong Kong Monetary Authority for earning an investment return that is linked to the performance of the Hong Kong Exchange Fund so that the ECF can provide long-term and sustained funding support for educational, research and other projects and activities in relation to environmental protection and nature conservation in Hong Kong*.
The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council approved the Government’s injections into the ECF in the following years:
|
||||||||||||||||
The ECF welcomes applications from eligible local organisations (e.g. local bodies, green groups, community organisations, charitable organisations, school sponsoring bodies, tertiary institutions, primary and secondary schools, nurseries and kindergartens, etc.). In general, project proposals that may be considered for funding support by the ECF should fulfill the following basic requirements:
- the project must help enhance the overall environmental quality of Hong Kong, raise environmental awareness of the local community, promote public participation in green and low-carbon living, and assist the HKSAR Government in protecting the environment through their actions;
- the benefits of the project must accrue to the local community as a whole, and not just to individuals, a private organisation or a group; and
- the project must be non-profit making in nature.
*Note: Since 1994, the Woo Wheelock Green Fund has been supporting some of the ECF projects.