Feature article
Island Climate Update review 2006 and continuation in 2007
Linda Yuen (SOPAC) and Jim Salinger (NIWA)
Figure 1. The SICU process. (Click for enlargement)
After 6 years in providing the climate sensitive sectors of the Pacific with regional climate outlooks, the Island Climate Update (ICU) project conducted its first review survey during 2006. It was aimed at gauging the quality and application of the bulletin amongst subscribers and prospected end users. A questionnaire modifi ed from the Pacific ENSO Applications Center’s (PEAC) review was distributed through fax and electronic mail to the known ICU subscribers and readers.
Analysis of feedback from the respondents was completed in time to be presented at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme’s (SPREP) 11th Regional Meteorology Services Directors (RMSD) held in Noumea, New Caledonia in July 2006. The results showed that the primary goal of improving the effectiveness of planning processes of climate-sensitive sectors had been achieved. The outcomes have assisted Pacific Island Countries with enhanced climate information and prediction services and improved the understanding of factors driving variability and change on various time scales.
The following 3 key recommendations emerged from the results of the review:
- Continued production of a regional climate forecasting bulletin;
- Continue strengthening collaboration with users, including the maintenance and strengthening of ties to core users and expansion to new users;
- Strengthen and expand critical partnerships with regional partners and programmes.
The results were received well by the participants of the meeting, most of who agreed that the bulletin was widely used and highly valuable to the climate sensitive sectors in the region. Many participants have also written letters to support the project’s continuation.
In January, the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) showed their continued support to the project by granting additional funds for its continuation. The additional funding will see the production of 12 issues of the ICU bulletin in 2007 as well as end user consultation workshops to be held in 2 countries (Tonga and Vanuatu) in mid–2007. The main objective of these workshops is to enhance expertise of the local primary user group (NMS, NHS and NDMO) in the translation of available climate forecast information like the ICU into the local context and effectively disseminate this to the secondary user group which include other climate sensitive sectors and interested parties. This year, SPREP, in addition to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) will be included as a critical partner to strengthen the ICU project.
There will be increased collaboration with NMS and linkages will be made with larger regional programmes such as the Pacific Hydrological Cycle Observing System (HYCOS). Two critical components under the Pacific HYCOS programme that require climate forecasting information include improving capacity in drought and fl ood forecasting in the 14 participating member countries. Outlooks provided by the ICU cover all these countries and thus will be an important tool in contributing to these components. Other programmes include the Pacific Global Climate Observing System (PIGCOS), Global Ocean Observing System (PI–GOOS) and the South Pacific Sea-Level and Climate Monitoring Project (SPSLCMP) to improve the quality and effi ciency of climate information to climate sensitive sectors in the Pacific region.