EPD Hosts International Conference on Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index at HKUST for Marine Ecological Collaboration

EPD holds International Conference and Workshop on Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index

​The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) is holding the International Conference and Workshop on Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index (PCII) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) from today (November 4) to November 6. The event aims to introduce the developments and applications of the PCII, provide training, and strengthen technical exchange and collaboration among professional bodies in this field from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas.

The EPD, drawing on the latest international practices, has successfully developed a biological indicator, the PCII, to address and manage nutrient enrichment in coastal and estuarine waters. The developments and applications of the PCII and the associated study findings were reviewed by academic scholars and published in an international scientific journal in February 2024.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui, highlighted that the Conference aims to create a platform for sharing and promoting the latest developments and applications of the PCII and other relevant biological indicators, so as to provide useful reference for the future development of ecologically based assessment methods on evaluating eutrophication risks and assessing ecological impacts, and to further enhance co-operation between the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Chinese Mainland in marine ecological environment protection, in order to achieve the target of jointly building the Greater Bay Area into a world-class beautiful bay area.

Two phytoplankton experts from the Scottish Association for Marine Science in the United Kingdom were invited to present on the theory and operation mechanism of the PCII, as well as the relevant biological indices and evaluation approaches recently developed and applied internationally (e.g. in the European Union). Chinese Mainland representatives in attendance came from the National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the World Sustainable Development Institute, the Department of Ecology and Environment of Guangdong Province, and the Ecology Environment Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality. Participants from Hong Kong included representatives from government officials and academic sectors such as the EPD, the Agricultural Fisheries and Conservation Department, the HKUST, the City University of Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Metropolitan University.

The PCII provides an objective and scientific assessment on coastal eutrophication as it analyses the impact of nutrient levels on phytoplankton communities in marine ecosystems. The PCII can be used to supplement traditional nutrient water quality standards with key indicators of ecological or biological responses, thus improving the assessment of eutrophication risks in coastal and estuarine waters and better promoting pollution control in a precise and scientific manner. This enhances the cost-effectiveness of managing eutrophication. The EPD has already adopted the PCII to assess the eutrophication status of marine waters. For more information on the PCII and relevant monitoring data, please refer to the EPD's dedicated website (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/water/hkwqrc/waterquality/phy_mon.html) and the annual report on Marine Water Quality Report in Hong Kong in 2024 (www.epd.gov.hk/epd/sites/default/files/epd/english/environmentinhk/water/hkwqrc/files/waterquality/annual-report/marinereport2024.pdf).

EPD holds International Conference and Workshop on Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

EPD holds International Conference and Workshop on Phytoplankton Community Integrity Index Source: HKSAR Government Press Releases

Speech by CE at Fourth Edition of Women Power Forum

Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr John Lee, at the Fourth Edition of Women Power Forum today (April 1):

Ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased to join you, today, for the fourth Women Power Forum, delighted to be here among so many esteemed female leaders and distinguished guests.

They say women hold up half the sky, and in today's Hong Kong, that is exactly what we see.

In the private sector, a growing number of listed companies now have a good number of female directors, and women's participation in corporate leadership continues to rise. In the professional world, more than half of our accountants and lawyers are women. And within the Government, eight out of 15 directors of bureaux, along with the Director of the Chief Executive's Office, are women. Forty-nine per cent of our civilian civil servants are also women.

In short, women are both the leaders and the backbone of our economy and our government. Hong Kong is clearly far better because of it, because of the women of Hong Kong. Very proud of you all.

Hong Kong's achievements stand as a powerful testament to our unwavering commitment to women's development and gender equality.

We champion these goals because we recognise a fundamental truth: that women's progress is not just a women's issue; it is a shared responsibility, one that benefits everyone. In Hong Kong and around the world.

That's why the theme of this year's Women Power Forum is "Women Across Nations: Unite to Prosper." Working together, we can continue to drive progress, locally, regionally and globally.

I wish you all a rewarding Forum and, for those of you here from outside Hong Kong, an enjoyable stay in the world's rising East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. Thank you.

Source: AI-found images