8:30am-9:15am: possible development in the wetland
8:30am-9:15am: Ryan Ip (in photo), Head of Land & Housing Research, Our Hong Kong Foundation
8:30am-9:15am: Dr Rita Li, Director of Sustainable Real Estate Research Center; Associate Professor, Department of Economics and Finance, HK Shue Yan University
8:30am-9:00am: Albert Lai, Director, Conservancy Association
9:15am-9:30am: red tides
9:15am-9:30am: Ho Kin-chung, Chairman, Association on Harmful Algal Blooms in South China Sea; Honorary Professor, Department of Geography, HKU 

On Thursday’s Backchat, we’re talking about the prospect of housing construction in areas surrounding Hong Kong’s wetlands.
The Development Secretary, Michael Wong, said this week that the administration would consider loosening restrictions in the 1,000 hectares of buffer zones surrounding the Deep Bay Wetland conservation area in the northern New Territories. He said their development potential had to be considered, and a panel within his bureau would examine whether plot ratios in the areas could be increased.
But the statement draw a backlash from environmentalists. Green groups said allowing higher-density development would affect the whole wetland habitat, as fishponds and wetlands usually provide food and habitat to migratory birds.
What do you think? Would this be a way to provide much needed new housing? Would the environmental cost be too great?
From 9:15am-9:30am, we’ll be discussing the increasing number of red tides phenomenon in Hong Kong.