15th August, 2017 Directors of national meteorological services and officials from the Pacific have convened in Honiara this week to attend the Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting (PMC) under the theme ‘Sustainable Weather, Ocean and Water Services for a Resilient Pacific’.
The meeting was officially opened by Solomon Islands Minister for Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology Hon. Samuel Manetoali yesterday morning at the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency conference room.
Hon. Manetoali said, “Globally, majority of the natural disasters are hydro meteorological in nature. In the Pacific region, a lot of natural disasters that we had experienced are also related to water and climate.”
“Given our limited capacity, isolation, weak economic base and frailty as Pacific Island Countries and Territories, we are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and that of climate variability.”
He said the meeting would provide opportunities for the region to discuss approaches to safeguard people.
“The gathering this week is to discuss ways and opportunities to strengthen our meteorological and hydrological services so that required services are provided for the safety of our people and their properties as well as towards a more economically vibrant society.”
Director of Tonga’s MET service and outgoing chair of PMC Mr. ‘Ofa Fa’anunu also addressed the meeting for the last time during the opening session.
He said PMC has come a long way from the first meeting in Marshall Islands in 2011.
“Since its inception, our numbers continue to grow as the Pacific Meteorological Council has developed innovative ways to operationalize its work through the establishment of its five expert panels to enhance sustainable weather, climate, oceans and water services for a resilience Pacific in the areas of aviation, marine and oceans, climate, communication and infrastructure and education, training and research.”
He said that PMC have developed a roadmap on climate services to guide work in the delivery of climate services and Pacific Island Meteorology Strategy (PIMS) as well as the Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology.
Director General of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme Mr. Leota Kosi Latu said there have been a lot of achievements made collectively as a region by national meteorological services.
He said, “One of the objective for over the four days of the PMC is to further endure and strengthen the facilitation, coordination and networking among members of the Pacific Meteorological Council, development partners, regional and international organizations in relation to meteorological services.”
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Director for Development and Regional Activities Ms. Mary Power highlighted the link between the work and role of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) and national resilience.
“I do not need to remind us why the role of NMHSs is so important. Your services contribute to poverty reduction, sustainable development, climate change and disaster risk reduction. They also support the efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.
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.
ENDS
Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change & Communications.