The State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities, one of Hong Kong’s 15 newly approved State Key Laboratories (SKLs), will launch on Dec 4, to enhance the coastal region’s capabilities for managing extreme weather events.

Established earlier this year through a joint effort by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, this laboratory leverages HKUST’s Geotechnical Centrifuge Facility’s strengths and international research network, combined with PolyU’s expertise in engineering and policy management.

Duan Huan-feng, associate director of the SKL and a professor at PolyU’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, told China Daily that the lab’s first academic committee meeting is scheduled for Dec 3 at PolyU, followed by symposiums on Dec 4 and 5.

Duan said that projects within the lab’s six major research directions, covering climate, weather, urban disasters and solutions, and policy management, have already begun. Since mid-October, the lab has opened applications for research funding to the academic community, he added.

Charles Ng Wang-wai, a director of the lab and chair professor of HKUST’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, shared his vision for the lab. “Our research will investigate various aspects of climate resilience, provide scientific backing for government policy decisions, and safeguard residents’ welfare against climate change challenges,” Ng said.

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Earlier this year, the laboratory, along with 14 other labs spanning fields such as medicine, quantum studies, and biology, achieved a historic milestone by being incorporated into the nation’s State Key Laboratory Scheme, managed by the Ministry of Science and Technology. Each lab is set to receive annual funding of up to HK$20 million ($2.57 million) from the special administrative region government to enhance their research capabilities.

An official plaque presentation ceremony was held in August for the State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities. Beyond addressing climate change challenges, its mission also includes promoting the development of safe, green and sustainable coastal cities.

Climate resilience is of great importance for places like Hong Kong, given its vulnerability to frequent extreme weather events such as heavy rainfall and typhoons due to its subtropical coastal location, Ng said.

The risks of flooding, landslides, and mudslides are notably high in the city, with over 60 percent of its land being natural terrain and about 60,000 registered man-made slopes, according to Ng. Such incidents could lead to far-reaching impact, considering the city’s limited land area and high population density, Ng added.

Building robust climate resilience requires interdisciplinary collaboration across meteorology, firefighting, water and electricity management, healthcare, and infrastructure development, Ng said.

The lab’s HKUST branch plans to have about 50 professionals, including 30 to 40 doctoral candidates and 10 to 15 postdoctoral researchers, specializing in four key fields: urban disaster prediction, eco-friendly mitigation, infrastructure resilience, and public awareness and warning systems.

Ng also said that research activities related to these topics have been ongoing in one of the lab’s predecessors, HKUST’s Geotechnical Centrifuge Facility. Some cutting-edge research initiatives include using eco-friendly materials to replace cement walls for slope stabilization and utilizing vegetation for slope protection.

Ng said he believes that Hong Kong’s climate resilience is currently at a commendable level globally, thanks to the strong academic capabilities of local universities and proactive government measures. He said that the SKLs will persist in advancing this field through robust scientific research.

Initially, SKLs were limited to the Chinese mainland, with labs in Hong Kong serving as partners to mainland SKLs upon approval from the Ministry of Science and Technology. Since 2018, Hong Kong has been authorized to set up national-level labs, and in early 2025, these labs were officially transformed into SKLs.

Contact the writers at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com