Often the smallest beginnings can be the mightiest. In October 2007, when dial-up internet was still in use and the best mode of discussion across the Pacific was by telephone and facsimile and two-way radio! Pacific Met Teams began a monthly meeting to discuss weather and climate experienced, and what lay ahead for them all. This was originally known as the Online Climate Outlook Forum (OCOF).
Despite the crackling lines and constant disconnections, our Pacific Met Services preserved in their monthly meetings. Fast forward to May 2024, and we celebrate the 200th OCOF, now conducted via virtual meetings and named the Ocean and Climate Outlook Forum.
The 200th Ocean and Climate Outlook Forum was celebrated virtually in 15 National Meteorological and Hydrological Services across the Pacific region on16 May 2024.
This monthly regional platform is hosted by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and has been since 2016. The celebration of the 200th convening was to recognise and celebrate the work undertaken by Climate services who focus on aspects such as slow onset climate extreme events including extreme dry and extreme well periods.
“To the climate officers in our National Met Services from across the region, you are the veins that helps this service continue to thrive at the national level. Thank you for continuously providing climate and ocean outlooks for your communities. This is a tool that your people can use for their planning,” said Mr Sefanaia Nawadra, Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
“To my officers at SPREP. Thank you for your continuous support to the countries to timely inform them with update climate science for their decision making. We all know that our Pacific Ocean as the world’s largest, is the main climate driver in the world. Daily and monthly monitoring of this body including the atmosphere is important for both us and the whole world.”
As memories recall, the Online Climate Outlook Forum (OCOF) began as the result of a conversation between Ms Janita Pahalad from the Bureau of Meteorology, Mr Jotham Napat from Vanuatu, and Mr Arona Ngari from the Cook Islands in July 2006 at a Regional Meteorological Directors Meeting.
Twelve months later the details of this discussion were realised as the first OCOF was hosted by the Bureau in October of 2007 with seven National Meteorological and Hydrological Services attending.
Over time the OCOF has evolved to include an extensive ocean discussion as part of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) update, as well as the National Met Services sharing information about local impacts from each ENSO event.
Now in its third phase, the Climate and Ocean Support Program for the Pacific (COSPPac) supports the OCOF and is funded by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand and intends to continue supporting core climate and ocean services in the Pacific.
How this impacts our Pacific people directly is through the forecasts provided to them from their national Meteorological and Hydrological Services. OCOF has also expanded into training over the years which sees increased capacity in your Pacific Island to better help you. The training helps with appropriate interpretation of data collected for information services that are shared across our Pacific Islands.
The inaugural OCOF took place on 12 October 2007
“And speaking of that first OCOF, I still remember how we huddled around a central conference phone speaker, straining to hear each other over crackling phone lines. Dropouts were so common that we’d have to keep dialing people back in! Thankfully, technology has come a long way since then. Now with SPREP hosting, we can join online, share screens, and see each other’s faces through video feed – making our collaboration so much smoother and more effective.
During the mid-term review of COSPPac One, it was recommended that some COSPPac products and services be transitioned to our partner agencies. SPREP was recognised as well placed to take on and host the monthly OCOF and has been doing so since 2016 with science support from the Bureau and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community,” said Ms Celine Becker, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's Pacific Climate Services Team Lead and COSPPac Manager.
Partnerships have been a core ingredient to the success of the OCOF as many have been welcomed into the fold over the years to help strengthen the foundation of this Forum which now sees eight Pacific Islands countries developing Ocean Outlooks for their people.
Working together - the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme and the Pacific Community with the commitment of the Pacific Island Governments and resources from the Governments of Australia and New Zealand – have been an integral part of the OCOF.
“At the start of the OCOF journey many of the Directors here were also at the start of their careers. As we can attest, this community has continued to grow, providing an opportunity for ocean and climate officers to develop their skills, exchange with fellow peers and improve the communication of climate and ocean science evident with the Ocean and Climate Outlooks for Pacific Island countries,” said Ms Rhonda Robinson, the Director of Geoscience Energy and Maritime Division, SPC.
“Who would have thought 16 years ago that a forum conceived from a conversation would be convening for the 200th time! It would be remiss of me to not acknowledge the genuine partnerships that has resulted in these achievements. A big congratulations to everyone for the 200th session of OCOF and best wishes for many more engaging discussions in the years ahead.”
In 2016, the OCOF was transitioned to SPREP to host the seasonal forecasting component. SPREP joined OCOF with the inclusion of Ocean services and products, demonstrating how Pacific regional technical operations work well together for our Pacific islands.
The OCOF continues to be a monthly teleconference where climate and oceans officers from across the Pacific gather to discuss and analyse events from the past month and predict future conditions. This includes forecasting rainfall, monitoring El Niño and La Niña, discussing ocean temperatures, and sharing the impacts such as food and water shortages.
The 200th OCOF held on 16 May 2024 united our Pacific Islands through zoom with around 80 participations cross the region and the cutting of cakes which was done together and shared, and while it may all seem technical to those of us non-scientifically gifted Pacific Islands citizens – it’s an occasion to commemorate!
Through this work and the OCOF we’re able to receive predictions about our ocean and climate to help us plan and prepare for what may come in the coming months or season.
Congratulations to our Pacific Met Staff and partners for the growth of this Forum and the service it has provided for our Pacific Islands over the years!
The Ocean and Climate Outlook Forum (OCOF) is a platform to provide an environment for the sharing and interpretation of recent ENSO monitoring and forecasting products, recent rainfall observations and upcoming Seasonal Climate Outlook for Pacific Island Countries (SCOPIC) and Australian Community Climate and Earth-System Simulator – Seasonal (ACCESS-S) three-month rainfall outlooks. It supports the development of bulletins and product for National Meteorological and Hydrological Services. Seasonal outlooks have a wide range of applications in both the government and private sectors, the key users of which are COSPPac partners, our Pacific Islands, Pacific National Meteorological Services and Pacific regional organisations.