Lam Chiu Ying

Lam was first interested in astronomy as a Primary 6 student.{{cite news|title=Starry, Starry Night inspires lifelong career|url=http://www.csb.gov.hk/hkgcsb/csn/csn77/77e/pensioners_corner_1.html|location=Hong Kong|publisher=Civil Service Newsletter|date=February 2010|accessdate=2011-01-14}} In Form 2, he decided that he wanted to enter the Hong Kong Observatory while completing a stargazing Boy Scout badge, although he later believed that the chances were slim. He obtained an A in Physics in the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination, although the grade was not sustained in the A-levels, where he received an A for all other subjects he took up.

He studied mathematics and physics at the University of Hong Kong.{{Cite web|script-title=zh:林超英|url=http://www.eoc.org.hk/eoc/OtherProject/chi/color/youthcorner/programmes/careerchallenge2006/bio/lamchiuying.htm|accessdate=2011-01-14|publisher=Equal Opportunities Commission|location=Hong Kong|language=Chinese}} He received a Commonwealth scholarship and went to Imperial College London, where he studied meteorology instead of physics for the fear that physics would lead to wars. After a few months, he decided to go to the United States. The lecturer wrote him a letter of recommendation, saying that he was his best post-war student. However, he had only studied at Princeton University for three weeks before dropping out, saying that he wanted to get a job instead of studying theories.

Lam said in an interview by the Wen Wei Po that his interest in bird-watching started when he saw birds in the Hong Kong Cemetery at Happy Valley when he was in his twenties.{{Cite web|script-title=zh:觀鳥不拍照 享受與雀四目交投|url=http://paper.wenweipo.com/2008/11/12/HK0811120049.htm|date=11 December 2010|accessdate=2011-01-17|publisher=Wen Wei Po|location=Hong Kong|language=Chinese}}

Lam joined the Royal Observatory Hong Kong as a Scientific Officer{{Cite web|title=Appointment of Director of the Hong Kong Observatory|url=http://www.csb.gov.hk/english/info/1925.html|date=May 8, 2009|accessdate=2011-01-14|publisher=Civil Service Bureau|location=Hong Kong}} on 4 May 1974. After being promoted to Senior Scientific Officer in October 1980, he went on to become the Assistant Director in July 1992.

Lam became the director of the Hong Kong Observatory in March 2003.{{Cite web|title=Director of the Hong Kong Observatory - retirement and appointment|url=http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/news/2003/pre0225e.htm|date=23 February 2003|accessdate=2011-01-14|publisher=Hong Kong Observatory|location=Hong Kong|language=Chinese}} He was said to promote a 'family-friendly' workspace for employees, encouraged employees to go home on time and organised activities where the family of employees could also participate.

In 2006, Typhoon Prapiroon hit Hong Kong. The Observatory did not hoist a Typhoon Signal No. 8.{{cite news|title=天文台難息市民怒氣 申訴專員接破紀錄140宗投訴|url=http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/news/20060806/20060806020812_0000.html|date=6 August 2006|publisher=Sun Daily|accessdate=2011-01-15|location=Hong Kong}} Some criticised this decision as being against the usual practice of the Observatory, while an astronomer criticised the Observatory's warning system, saying that the Observatory should also have taken into account the wind speed of the New Territories and outlying islands.{{cite news|title=搜集證據踢爆謊言 市民斥玩數字遊戲|url=http://the-sun.on.cc/channels/news/20060806/20060806020812_0000_2.html|date=6 August 2006|publisher=Sun Daily|accessdate=2011-01-15|location=Hong Kong}} The Office of the Ombudsman received 140 complaints. Some even urged him to resign. Lam defended the decision but altered the typhoon warning system.{{cite news|title=林超英：根據程序發出暴雨警告|url=http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/expressnews/20060914/news_20060914_55_342083.htm|publisher=Radio Television Hong Kong|location=Hong Kong |date=14 September 2006 |trans-title=CY Lam: rainstorm warning issued in accordance with procedures |accessdate=2014-02-21}}

In July 2007, Lam fell from a horse in Mongolia and was seriously injured. He received a brain operation in September.{{Cite web|script-title=zh:死過翻生 林超英 |url=http://www.hkheadline.com/culture/culture_content.asp?contid=37740&srctype=g |accessdate=2011-01-16 |location=Hong Kong|language=Chinese|publisher=Headline Daily}} In July 2008, another incident occurred and he had to be hospitalised for a week.{{cite book|last1=Lam|first1=CY|last2=Lee|first2=BY|title=Director's Blog |date=December 2009|publisher=Hong Kong Observatory|location=Hong Kong|pages=4|isbn=978-988-18-0422-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=voXYSAAACAAJ&q=9789881804228 |accessdate=2014-02-21}}

Soon after, Typhoon Nuri hit Hong Kong. The Observatory was criticised for hoisting a Typhoon Signal No. 8, which some considered unnecessary,{{cite book|last1=Lam|first1=CY|last2=Lee|first2=BY|title=Director's Blog|date=December 2009|publisher=Hong Kong Observatory|location=Hong Kong|pages=53–59|isbn=978-988-18-0422-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=voXYSAAACAAJ&q=9789881804228 |accessdate=2014-02-21}} and hoisting it too late.{{cite news |title=Observatory defends timing of signals for Nuri |url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_print.asp?art_id=70668&sid=20324023 |first1=Beatrice |last1=Siu |date=25 August 2008|author2=Ming Pao|publisher=The Standard|accessdate=2011-01-15|language=Chinese|location=Hong Kong}} There was also confusion regarding the Chinese word '清晨', which Lam later explained.{{cite news|script-title=zh:林超英否認風球信息亂 指對「清晨」理解不同|url=http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/080824/4/7uzb.html|location=Hong Kong |date=25 August 2008|author=Ming Pao|publisher=Yahoo! News|accessdate=2011-01-15|language=Chinese}} Lam denied that the Observatory had underestimated the strength of the typhoon. In response to claims that Typhoon Signal No. 8, Lam stated that at least two people had been killed by the typhoon. He also stated that Hong Kong had been 'incredibly lucky' that the destructive power of the typhoon was not as strong as predicted.

Lam turned sixty in 2009. After six years as the Director, he retired. His pre-retirement leave started on 6 April, and his successor, Lee Boon Ying, was appointed 8 May.{{cite news|title=任命香港天文台台長|url=http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200905/08/P200905080104.htm|publisher=香港特別行政區政府新聞處|date=2009-05-08|location=Hong Kong}} He said that he would not do any work for pay after retirement, but would continue to accept invitations to share his ideas.{{cite news|script-title=zh:卸任在即 林超英稱沒有受各方影響專業決定|url=http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/news/expressnews/20090403/news_20090403_55_571462.htm|date=3 April 2009|location=Hong Kong|publisher=Radio Television Hong Kong|accessdate=2011-01-16|language=Chinese}}

In January 2010, Lam criticised the government in his blog{{cite news|title=政情：林鄭避談准唔准塱原建屋|url=http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/news/20100422/00408_007.html|date=22 April 2010|location=Hong Kong|accessdate=2011-01-16|language=Chinese}} for endorsing the building of houses in Long Valley by 'influential people' using the name of 'diversified development'. As a result, a legislator wrote to

Carrie Lam seeking explanation. Carrie Lam ordered the Planning Department to contact him. On 4 February, Lam sent his position paper to departments of the Development Bureau as a resident, detailing arguments for the preservation of the Valley and raising questions about the government being 'soft' on 'influential people'. Carrie Lam dismissed it as 'absurd', while the Department implied that at least twenty out of eighty hectares of the Valley were used for building.{{cite news|title=新界東北比高鐵更惹火|url=http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/news/20100204/00408_008.html?pubdate=20100204|date=4 February 2010|location=Hong Kong|publisher=太陽報|accessdate=2011-01-16}}

Lam also hosted the Radio Television Hong Kong Channel 1 show Sentient Beings from 3 July 2010 to 25 December of the same year.{{Cite web|title=香港電台第一台《天地有情》節目重溫|url=http://programme.rthk.org.hk/channel/radio/programme.php?name=radio1/Sentient_Beings&p=4879|accessdate=2011-01-16}} He is also an honorary fellow of the University of Hong Kong and lectures at the Geography and Resource Management Department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.{{Cite web|script-title=zh:政情：黑英獲頒名譽院士|url=http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20100915/00176_094.html|date=15 August 2010|accessdate=2011-01-16|location=Hong Kong|language=Chinese|publisher=Oriental Daily}}

In November 2010, Lam criticised the government's policy to cut classes in his blog. As the president of the King's College Old Boy's Association, he wrote that the government was cutting back the opportunity for upward social mobility of students from grassroots families.{{Cite web|script-title=zh:官中逼縮班 教局違公義|url=http://news.hk.msn.com/local/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4578157|date=15 November 2010|accessdate=2011-01-16|author=on.cc|publisher=MSN|location=Hong Kong|language=Chinese|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101116185252/http://news.hk.msn.com/local/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4578157|archive-date=16 November 2010|url-status=dead}} Michael Suen, the Secretary for Education, replied that the chances would not be reduced as the total number of students were on a decreasing trend.{{Cite web|title=Schools will not be 'let off hook' in Form One cuts |url=http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=11&art_id=104986&sid=30314561&con_type=1&d_str=20101116&sear_year=2010|date=16 November 2010|accessdate=2011-01-16|publisher=The Standard|location=Hong Kong}}

Lam had been dismissive of man-made climate change until 2001, when he read the Third Assessment Report on global warming from IPCC publishings. In 2009, Lam, along with noted singer and environmental activist Lowell Lo, hosted '救亡16度', a documentary about global warming, for RoadShow.{{Cite web|script-title=zh:《 救亡16度 》首播|url=http://hk.news.yahoo.com/article/090323/3/bbl8.html|date=24 March 2010|accessdate=2011-01-16|location=Hong Kong|language=Chinese}} Since retirement, Lam has given talks about the climate. As of August 2010, Lam has given 130 talks and 40 interviews.{{cite news|script-title=zh:探射燈：退休後過度活躍|url=http://orientaldaily.on.cc/cnt/news/20100815/00176_099.html|date=15 August 2010|location=Hong Kong|publisher=Oriental Daily|accessdate=2011-01-16|language=Chinese}}

In 2013, Lam spoke out strongly against proposals to use country park land for housing.{{cite news|last1=Lam|first1=Chiu Ying|title=How ex-Observatory chief Lam Chiu-ying has become an unlikely scourge of the establishment|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1336159/how-ex-observatory-chief-lam-chiu-ying-has-become-unlikely-scourge|accessdate=20 May 2015|publisher=South China Morning Post|date=21 October 2013}}

Lam also advocates against the use of air conditioners, due to their high electricity usage and release of chemicals into the environment, both of which contribute to global warming. According to Lam in 2022, he has "not switched on the air-conditioner [for himself] for something like 10 years."{{Cite web |last1=Chau |first1=Candice |last2=Mok |first2=Lea |date=2022-08-28 |title=It's time to switch off to save the planet, ex-chief of Observatory Lam Chiu-ying tells aircon-addicted Hongkongers |url=https://hongkongfp.com/2022/08/28/its-time-to-switch-off-to-save-the-planet-lam-chiu-ying-tells-aircon-addicted-hongkongers/ |access-date=2022-08-28 |website=Hong Kong Free Press |language=}} Lam instead promotes the use of USB-charging fans, which Lam says can increase airflow to replace or supplement the use of an air conditioner, while using less electricity.

{{reflist}}

• [http://tiandiyouqing.blogspot.com/ Lam's blog since retirement]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lam, Chiu Ying}}

Category:Hong Kong meteorologists

Category:Birdwatchers

Category:Hong Kong scientists

Category:Hong Kong environmentalists

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Hong Kong

Category:Alumni of Imperial College London

Category:Alumni of King's College, Hong Kong

Category:Princeton University alumni

Category:1949 births

Category:Environmental bloggers

Category:Recipients of the Silver Bauhinia Star

Category:Hong Kong bloggers