Hong Kong Observatory actively participates in the activities of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

2 May 2025

The Hong Kong Observatory's Senior Scientific Officer Ms Lam Ching-chi and Scientific Officer Mr Chan Wai-seon joined the Chinese delegation consisting of representatives from the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center (NMEFC) to attend the 31st Session of the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Pacific Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/PTWS-XXXI) of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO held in Beijing, China from 8 to 11 April 2025. Ms Lam is now the Vice-Chair of the ICG/PTWS Regional Working Group on Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System for the South China Sea Region.

A total of 28 countries (Note 1) sent delegations or observers to participate in this session. In addition to reviewing the work progress reported by the working groups and task teams, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centres, the International Tsunami Information Centre and the member states; the main discussions also covered the 2026 Pacific Tsunami Exercise, harmonisation of the format of the user's guide of PTWS tsunami service providers in different regions, response to tsunami events outside the PTWS earthquake source zone, the monitoring framework of the competency levels of the tsunami warning centers, standard operating procedures for tsunamis generated by volcanoes, the Tsunami Ready Recognition of the United Nations Ocean Decade Tsunami Programme among other policy matters. The 31st Session also elected Chair and Vice-Chairs of the ICG/PTWS. Dr Wang Dakui of China serves as the new ICG/PTWS Chair.

The ICG/PTWS, established in 1965, is the core platform for the IOC of UNESCO to carry out its intergovernmental coordination responsibilities for tsunami warning and mitigation. The ICG normally holds a session every two years to coordinate cooperation and actions among member states in tsunami early warning and disaster reduction.

Note 1: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Micronesia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, South Korea, Russia, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, United Kingdom, United States, Vanuatu