1 July 2013, Nadi Fiji - Without effective and timely data collection and weather forecasting, Pacific nations and territories can be extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events.
To build this capacity, directors from 17 national meteorological services have come together today at the 2nd meeting of the Pacific Metrological Council in Nadi, Fiji.
"This meeting is critical for the enhancement and development of weather, water and climate services in the Pacific region. Your Governments and their peoples have entrusted this task to you to find real and smart solutions. Their survival hangs on them," said Capt. Timoci Lesikivatukoula Natuva, the Minister for Works, Transport and Public Utilities of Fiji who opened the event.
The Pacific Meteorological Council is a specialised subsidiary body of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Members Meeting that coordinates the scientific and technical activities of Meteorological Services in the Pacific region.
"We anticipate the meeting will serve as a catalyst for focusing the attention of governments, development partners, regional organisations and communities on the importance of the National Meteorological Services work," said Mr Kosi Latu, Deputy Director General of SPREP.
The meetings will cover a broad range of issues including tsunami warning and response with National Meteorology Services (as NMSs open 24 hours , 7 days a week) tropical cyclone forecasting, drought and water management, forecasting for civil aviation, education and training and donor support for meteorological projects.
Expected outcomes of the meeting include agreed actions to achieve goals of the Pacific islands Meteorological Strategy 2012-2021 and strengthen coordination between National Meteorological services and development partners.
The 2nd meeting of the Pacific Metrological Council is coordinated by Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and made possib.e through the support of the Australian Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICSRTE), Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).