Climate Change Resilience
By Ms. Yvette D’Unienville of the Tuvalu Media Department
22 July 2015, Nuku’alofa, Tonga, PMC-3 - Weather offices in small island countries like Tuvalu depend on donor funding to strengthen the capacity and build the skills of forecasters to provide timely and accurate weather and climate information to its people.
For Tuvalu, the national meteorological office is in dire need of new equipment such as rain gauges and other vital outdoor equipment that are not compatible to the harsh Tuvalu weather.
For Tuvalu, the national meteorological office is in dire need of new equipment such as rain gauges and other vital outdoor equipment that are not compatible to the harsh Tuvalu weather.
Tuvalu Meteorological Department celebrate World Meteorology Day Presenting Tuvalu’s country report at the Third Pacific Meteorology Council meeting in Nuku’alofa, Tonga this week, Acting Director Tauala Katea said his office also needs assistance in the maintenance of outdoor equipment.
“The weather office needs a new rain gauge as the current one has become rusty from flooding and inundation from the king tides that flood the area where the Tuvalu Met Service is located.”
Katea has also acknowledged the support of the United Kingdom for the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and three Pacific countries which includes Tuvalu. The other two are Cook Islands and Kiribati.
The MoU has enabled the Tuvalu Met Service to continue with its upper air space observations.
“The weather office needs a new rain gauge as the current one has become rusty from flooding and inundation from the king tides that flood the area where the Tuvalu Met Service is located.”
Katea has also acknowledged the support of the United Kingdom for the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and three Pacific countries which includes Tuvalu. The other two are Cook Islands and Kiribati.
The MoU has enabled the Tuvalu Met Service to continue with its upper air space observations.
Under the MoU, SPREP administer the funds for weather balloon observation for the three countries. Previously, New Zealand administered the funds on behalf of the United Kingdom.- #PacMC2015
Ms. Yvette D’Unienville is a Senior Report for the Tuvalu Media Department
This article was developed by a Pacific Media Team of Reporters currently providing coverage on the Third Pacific Meteorological Council in Tonga. This activity coordinated by SPREP is supported by a partnership including the Government of Tonga, SPREP, Finland Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS).