By Repeka Nasiko of Fiji Times
14 August, 2017, Honiara, Solomon Islands, PMC-4 – The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is placing more emphasis on improving and funding Pacific meteorological services programs that ensure capacity building for countries in the regions.
While speaking at the opening of the 4th Pacific Meteorological Council meeting in Honiara, Solomon Islands, WMO development and regional activities director Mary Power said the assistance by the global body to the region was decided at the WMO Congress in 2015.
“WMO has plans for specific vulnerability programs for SIDS (small Island developing states) and small island territories,” she said.
“At the last WMO Congress we did initiate a new program for SIDS and small island territories, which is now focusing on bringing in additional projects in the Pacific, Caribbean and the Indian Ocean regions.
“WMO has many core programs that support activities in the region.
“We are putting a very strong emphasis on SIDS in our efforts to mobilise additional forces through some of our finance mechanisms.”
Ms Power urged members of the Pacific Meteorological Council to take advantage of some of the programs being supported by the global body.
“Some of you are still not members of WMO so we would welcome an opportunity to discuss this with you here, and also perhaps considering what support WMO can give and whether your countries would like to join WMO.
“We have set up meetings here in Honiara and hopefully we could also meet with the relevant minister here in the Solomon Islands.”
Fiji Meteorological Services director Ravind Kumar said Fiji was one of a few countries in the region that would benefit from new WMO-funded programs.
“The Fiji Meteorological Services is going to benefit from a project called the Climate Risk Early Warning System,” he said.
“Another project that is in the pipeline where a number of regional countries including Fiji are going to benefit from is the Green Climate Fund on Enhancing Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems in the Pacific.” - #PMC4 #PacificMet
Mr Kumar said the PMC allowed regional directors to discuss each national meteorology service’s needs and how best we could meet these needs with the assistance of regional and global partners. - #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.