Climate Change Resilience
By Pita Ligaiula of PACNEWS
14 August, 2017, Honiara, Solomon Islands, PMC-4- Tokelau is in dire need of assistance to set up its own Meteorology Service after New Zealand withdrew from directly managing the territory’s National Meteorology and Hydrology services (MHSs) in the mid 1980’s.
This was revealed by Loia Tausi, Manager Tokelau Department of Economic Development, Natural Resources and Environment at the 4th Pacific Meteorology Council (PMC) meeting underway in Honiara.
“After NZ’s withdrawal of direct management of the NMHSs in Tokelau and in other PICT’s in the mid-1980s left Tokelau MET services ‘handicapped and it lapsed.’
“Given the importance of weather and climate to a vulnerable atoll country as Tokelau, the Department of Economic Development, Natural Resources and Environment under the Environment Division revived the MET services in 2016 with a clear mandate stipulated under the Department’s Strategic Plan which aligns with the Tokelau National Strategic Plan.
“Currently we have two staffs with an outlook to recruit more. Our current staffs have gone through various training in the region with close collaboration with SPREP,” she told members of PMC while presenting her country report.
Tausi said daily weather bulletins (public weather and marine forecasts) for Tokelau are issued by the Fiji Meteorological Service which are picked up by Samoa Meteorological Service (SMS) in Mulinuu via the Global Telecommunication System (GTS).
“The SMS forecasting division then works with two Tokelau Meteorological Officers (one based at the Tokelau Office in Apia, the other at Fakaofo (on Tokelau) to localise the FMS forecasts for Tokelau, if needed. The agreed weather bulletins are then communicated via Radio 2AP in Samoa to Tokelau (in English and Samoan) and posted on the Tokelau Office and website in Tokelauan. Agreement has been made in principle with the Government of Samoa to continue the partnership and support for Tokelau as usual with additional climate services provided for us at this stage.
“There have been efforts and assistance provided by partners by providing the three atolls in Tokelau with rain gauges however, to date only one is operational. With the current status of Tokelau MET services, it has been identified that it is in a great need for assistance: technically, instrumental, capacity development and financially to enable the MET office to provide the Tokelau community with upfront weather and climate information that will build a resilient Tokelau,” she stressed.
Tausi said Tokelau would like to request for Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) for the 3 island atolls of Tokelau and it would seek donor partners to fund the exercise.
“Tokelau needs the initial set-up of basic equipment in order to establish a MET Service Station, and also assistance in both expertise and financial support for to development of its MET service strategic plan to provide guidelines for our MET services.
“I have noted with great appreciation the invitation extended by the WMO Director of Development and Regional Activities Ms Mary Power for Tokelau to become a registered member of WMO and it is something that my country is definitely taking into account and would work closely with the secretariat to make this happen.”
The immediate needs for Tokelau highlighted in her report include:
– #PMC4 #PacificMet
The Fourth Pacific Meteorological Council is being held in Honiara, Solomon Islands from the 14 – 17 August co-hosted by the government of Solomon Islands, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This will followed by the Second Pacific Meteorological Ministers Meeting (PMMM) on the 18 of August.
The PMC and PMMM is supported by the Government of Solomon Islands, SPREP, WMO, Government of Australia through the Climate and Oceans Support Programme (COSPPac) and Pacific Australia Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning Programme (PACCSAP), Government of Finland, National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United Nations Development Programme through the Resilience in the Pacific (SIDS) project.
The PMC consists of members of the Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services supported by its technical partners, regional organisations, non-government organisations and private sectors.
This article was developed by a Pacific Media Team of Reporters currently providing coverage on the Fourth Pacific Meteorological Council in Solomon Islands. This activity coordinated by SPREP is supported by a partnership between the Government of Solomon Islands, SPREP, Australia funded project (Climate and Oceans Support Program (COSPPac) and UNDP Disaster for Pacific SIDS (RESPAC) project.
14 August, 2017, Honiara, Solomon Islands, PMC-4- Tokelau is in dire need of assistance to set up its own Meteorology Service after New Zealand withdrew from directly managing the territory’s National Meteorology and Hydrology services (MHSs) in the mid 1980’s.
This was revealed by Loia Tausi, Manager Tokelau Department of Economic Development, Natural Resources and Environment at the 4th Pacific Meteorology Council (PMC) meeting underway in Honiara.
“After NZ’s withdrawal of direct management of the NMHSs in Tokelau and in other PICT’s in the mid-1980s left Tokelau MET services ‘handicapped and it lapsed.’
“Given the importance of weather and climate to a vulnerable atoll country as Tokelau, the Department of Economic Development, Natural Resources and Environment under the Environment Division revived the MET services in 2016 with a clear mandate stipulated under the Department’s Strategic Plan which aligns with the Tokelau National Strategic Plan.
“Currently we have two staffs with an outlook to recruit more. Our current staffs have gone through various training in the region with close collaboration with SPREP,” she told members of PMC while presenting her country report.
Left to right: Director of Niue Meteorological Service Rossylyn Mitiepo, Meteorologist in Charge (NOAA National Weather Service Palau) Maria Ngemaes, and Manager Tokelau Department of Economic Development, Natural Resources & Environment Loia M. Tausi
Tausi said daily weather bulletins (public weather and marine forecasts) for Tokelau are issued by the Fiji Meteorological Service which are picked up by Samoa Meteorological Service (SMS) in Mulinuu via the Global Telecommunication System (GTS).
“The SMS forecasting division then works with two Tokelau Meteorological Officers (one based at the Tokelau Office in Apia, the other at Fakaofo (on Tokelau) to localise the FMS forecasts for Tokelau, if needed. The agreed weather bulletins are then communicated via Radio 2AP in Samoa to Tokelau (in English and Samoan) and posted on the Tokelau Office and website in Tokelauan. Agreement has been made in principle with the Government of Samoa to continue the partnership and support for Tokelau as usual with additional climate services provided for us at this stage.
“There have been efforts and assistance provided by partners by providing the three atolls in Tokelau with rain gauges however, to date only one is operational. With the current status of Tokelau MET services, it has been identified that it is in a great need for assistance: technically, instrumental, capacity development and financially to enable the MET office to provide the Tokelau community with upfront weather and climate information that will build a resilient Tokelau,” she stressed.
Tausi said Tokelau would like to request for Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) for the 3 island atolls of Tokelau and it would seek donor partners to fund the exercise.
“Tokelau needs the initial set-up of basic equipment in order to establish a MET Service Station, and also assistance in both expertise and financial support for to development of its MET service strategic plan to provide guidelines for our MET services.
“I have noted with great appreciation the invitation extended by the WMO Director of Development and Regional Activities Ms Mary Power for Tokelau to become a registered member of WMO and it is something that my country is definitely taking into account and would work closely with the secretariat to make this happen.”
The immediate needs for Tokelau highlighted in her report include:
- Tokelau needs the initial set-up of basic equipment in order for the territory to establish a MET Service
- Tokelau has three islands and it is necessary that all islands have equipment necessary for basic data collection
- Tokelau needs to have Automatic Weather Station (AWS,) one for each 3 atolls
- Development of its MET service strategic plan
- Lack of financial capacity to train its staff to the required standard
- Tokelau MET services need capacity development in both weather and climate service
- Development of MOU with Samoa MET on the continuous support and assistance in providing updated weather forecast and the possibility for Samoa MET to provide climate outlook for Tokelau
- The need for Tokelau to join the WMO
– #PMC4 #PacificMet
The Fourth Pacific Meteorological Council is being held in Honiara, Solomon Islands from the 14 – 17 August co-hosted by the government of Solomon Islands, the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This will followed by the Second Pacific Meteorological Ministers Meeting (PMMM) on the 18 of August.
The PMC and PMMM is supported by the Government of Solomon Islands, SPREP, WMO, Government of Australia through the Climate and Oceans Support Programme (COSPPac) and Pacific Australia Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning Programme (PACCSAP), Government of Finland, National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United Nations Development Programme through the Resilience in the Pacific (SIDS) project.
The PMC consists of members of the Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services supported by its technical partners, regional organisations, non-government organisations and private sectors.
This article was developed by a Pacific Media Team of Reporters currently providing coverage on the Fourth Pacific Meteorological Council in Solomon Islands. This activity coordinated by SPREP is supported by a partnership between the Government of Solomon Islands, SPREP, Australia funded project (Climate and Oceans Support Program (COSPPac) and UNDP Disaster for Pacific SIDS (RESPAC) project.