Climate Change Resilience
31 March 2014, Rarotonga, Cook Islands - On Sunday morning a large number of Pacific Met Directors were on board a flight to the Cook Islands that was diverted to Tahiti to refuel before turning back to Rarotonga, originally unable to land due to extreme winds and bad weather.
This was a clear example of the strong role that weather plays in our lives, it was also the backdrop to a week of discussions on Climate Services for the Pacific Small Island States which opened today in the Cook Islands.
Coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) the meeting will bring together experts from the National Meteorological Services (NMSs) around the region, key decision-makers, and practitioners from the relevant partners supporting climate services in different sectors at the national level to discuss their efforts on climate services in the region.
The Pacific Regional Consultation on the on the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), an initiative led by the WMO, will take place during the first three days.
"In welcoming you all here today, and opening your meeting, I add my voice in support of the Pacific building stronger, active linkages between climate change and variability and our long term sustainable development," said Hon. Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands.
"Cutting across these efforts is the stark and perpetual reminder of the impacts of climate change and variability, and the services we depend on to safeguard the investments in our future.
A clear example demonstrating this challenge is our current programme of energy conversion in our Northern Group – an area of the Pacific prone to the formation of cyclones and the adversity of extreme and unstable weather.
Early warning systems, smarter communication, and preparedness, are key support factors in the reduction of risks to this major development."
The remaining two days of the discussions will focus on Pacific regional Meteorological projects and initiatives currently underway.
Amongst other discussions there will be a consultation meeting on the third Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting to take place in 2015, as well as the Inception workshop of a regional meteorological project to help Reduce Vulnerability of the Pacific Island Country Villager' Livelihoods to the Effects of Climate Change, funded by the Government of Finland; and the planning workshop for the programme for implementation of the Global Framework for Climate Services at regional and national scales, funded by the Government of Canada.
"We have a role to ensure Meteorological services have the required capacity to carry out seasonal forecasting for example," said Dr. Netatua Pelesikoti, Director of Climate Change, SPREP.
"We have a role to influence decision makers to ensure enabling policies are developed to support climate services delivery. We have a role to move national meteorological services from just information providers to the center of development planning and implementation.
This is when and where our adaptations and risk reductions will be informed by climate trends and future projections. This is where and when we move from talking about data and information to building resilience and build back better.
The understanding that we have this role, and are able, through teamwork, to achieve far more than we could do alone, should be the heart of our approach to advance climate services in our region and strengthen our region's linkage with other regional and global climate services."
The Regional Consultation on Climate Services for Pacific Small Island States and Related Meetings is held from 31 March to 4 April and brings together over 60 delegates including representatives from the Meteorological Services of each Pacific Island Country and Territory.
The workshop is supported by the Government of Canada, Government of Finland, WMO, Pacific-Australia Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning (PACCSAP), GFCS Office and SPREP.
For more information please visit: http://gfcs-climate.org/content/regional-consultation-gfcs-small-island-developing-states-pacific
This was a clear example of the strong role that weather plays in our lives, it was also the backdrop to a week of discussions on Climate Services for the Pacific Small Island States which opened today in the Cook Islands.
Coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) the meeting will bring together experts from the National Meteorological Services (NMSs) around the region, key decision-makers, and practitioners from the relevant partners supporting climate services in different sectors at the national level to discuss their efforts on climate services in the region.
The Pacific Regional Consultation on the on the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), an initiative led by the WMO, will take place during the first three days.
"In welcoming you all here today, and opening your meeting, I add my voice in support of the Pacific building stronger, active linkages between climate change and variability and our long term sustainable development," said Hon. Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands.
"Cutting across these efforts is the stark and perpetual reminder of the impacts of climate change and variability, and the services we depend on to safeguard the investments in our future.
A clear example demonstrating this challenge is our current programme of energy conversion in our Northern Group – an area of the Pacific prone to the formation of cyclones and the adversity of extreme and unstable weather.
Early warning systems, smarter communication, and preparedness, are key support factors in the reduction of risks to this major development."
The remaining two days of the discussions will focus on Pacific regional Meteorological projects and initiatives currently underway.
Amongst other discussions there will be a consultation meeting on the third Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting to take place in 2015, as well as the Inception workshop of a regional meteorological project to help Reduce Vulnerability of the Pacific Island Country Villager' Livelihoods to the Effects of Climate Change, funded by the Government of Finland; and the planning workshop for the programme for implementation of the Global Framework for Climate Services at regional and national scales, funded by the Government of Canada.
"We have a role to ensure Meteorological services have the required capacity to carry out seasonal forecasting for example," said Dr. Netatua Pelesikoti, Director of Climate Change, SPREP.
"We have a role to influence decision makers to ensure enabling policies are developed to support climate services delivery. We have a role to move national meteorological services from just information providers to the center of development planning and implementation.
This is when and where our adaptations and risk reductions will be informed by climate trends and future projections. This is where and when we move from talking about data and information to building resilience and build back better.
The understanding that we have this role, and are able, through teamwork, to achieve far more than we could do alone, should be the heart of our approach to advance climate services in our region and strengthen our region's linkage with other regional and global climate services."
The Regional Consultation on Climate Services for Pacific Small Island States and Related Meetings is held from 31 March to 4 April and brings together over 60 delegates including representatives from the Meteorological Services of each Pacific Island Country and Territory.
The workshop is supported by the Government of Canada, Government of Finland, WMO, Pacific-Australia Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning (PACCSAP), GFCS Office and SPREP.
For more information please visit: http://gfcs-climate.org/content/regional-consultation-gfcs-small-island-developing-states-pacific