SIXTH MEETING OF THE PACIFIC METEOROLOGICAL COUNCIL
Hosted by the Government of Fiji
14-16 August 2023
Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa, Denarau, Nadi, Fiji Islands
Theme: Sustaining Weather, Climate, Water and Ocean Services for a Resilient Blue Pacific
CONCEPT NOTE
1. The Government of Fiji through the Fiji Meteorological Service is the host of the sixth Meeting of the Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC-6) in Denarau, Nadi from 14-16 August 2023. The meeting will bring together PMC’s members , senior government’s officials from SPREP member countries and territories, development partners, Council of the Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP), United Nations’ agencies, collaborating organizations and institutions to discuss, promote and explore opportunities to strengthen weather, climate, water, ocean and related development services in the context of sustainable development.
2. The PMC is a specialized subsidiary body of SPREP established to facilitate and coordinate the scientific and technical programme and activities of the Regional Meteorological Services in region. The PMC comprises the Directors/Heads of Meteorological Services of SPREP member countries and territories with the objectives aimed to strengthen the capacity of the NMHSs thus contributing to the safety, well‐being, and development aspirations of the people of the Pacific during the provision of weather, climate, water, ocean and related development services by: (i) providing an open forum for members to discuss and collaborate on issues related to the advancement of hydro-meteorological services in the Pacific; (ii) building on mutual and complementary strengths to develop innovative approaches that help sustain national and regional development goals stated by each nation; and (iii) collaborating with partner organizations and agencies in related sectors to achieve development objectives.
3. The PMC has also established six multi-institutional expert working groups to provide technical advice to the PMC and coordinate their efforts to implement some for the fundamental priorities of the met services in the region. The PMC Panels are; (i) Pacific Island Climate Services (PICS) Panel; (ii) Pacific Island Education, Training and Research (PIETR) Panel; (iii) Pacific Island Marine and Oceans Services (PIMOS) Panel; (iv) Pacific Island Communication and Infrastructure (PICI) Panel; (v) Pacific Island Aviation Weather Services (PIAWS) Panel and; (vi) Pacific Hydrology Services (PHS) Panel.
4. The Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) NMHSs, CROP agencies, United Nations’agencies, development partners, collaborating organizations and institutions take enormous pride in their contributions to sustainable development of the PICTs they have made to date. This meeting will assist with the coordination efforts of the NMHSs and partners to ensure that gaps in delivering appropriate and timely information to save lives are discussed and addressed.
5. Venue and Dates of PMC-6 Meetings
The PMC-6 will be held at the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa in Denarau, Nadi, Fiji, from the 14th to 16th of August 2023.
This will be followed by the Development Partners and Donor Engagement Meeting on the 17th August and the 3rd Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology (PMMM-3) on the 18th August 2023.
6. Side Events
The PMC-6 meeting will have very limited side events allocated during lunch. The location of venue can cater for at least 2 parallel side events for 1 hour. Partners who are interested can apply to the online are directly to the [email protected] using a form to be provided.
There are also opportunities for partners to organise Sunrise events (1 hour before the PMC meeting starts), this is usually accompanied by light breakfast that can be funded by the host of the side event, and Sunset events which can include Dinner and Cocktails.
7. The objectives of the PMC-6 are to:
- Facilitate/Foster coordination, networking, sharing of information and discussions among PMC's members, development partners, CROP agencies, United Nations’ agencies, collaborating organisations and institutions on current status and advancement of weather, climate, water ocean and related development services in support of national development and a resilient Pacific;
- Discuss the Weather Ready Pacific Programme of Investment and its governance framework;
- Review the progress in the implementation of the PIMS through the PMC Panel work, identifying achievements, challenges, and gaps; and
- Provide an opportunity for NDMO and national stakeholders to participate in the PMC meeting.
8. Expected Outcomes of PMC-6 meeting The expected outcomes of the PMC-6 meeting are:
- Awareness of the shared progress of the PIMS and issues since PMC-5;
- Strengthened partnership and networking with development partners, CROP organisations, United Nations’ agencies, collaborating organisations and institutions;
- Increased awareness of potential direct access to financial resources by PICTs for development and advancement of weather, climate, water and ocean services;
- Discuss progress of the Review of the PMC and its Secretariat, the Pacific Meteorological Desk Partnership (PMDP);
- Guidance is provided on the review of the Pacific Meteorological Strategy and the Pacific Roadmap for Strengthened Climate Services
- Endorsement of the Weather Ready Pacific Governance Framework
- Updates provided from the PMC Panels (PICS, PIAWS, PIMOS, PIETR, PICI, PHS) on progress of their works and directions for future works of PMC in the development of weather, climate, water, and ocean services.