by Ednal Palmer
The Chairman of the Pacific Meteorological Council (PMC) has commended the Climate and Oceans Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac).
Speaking during the official opening of COSPPac3 annual meeting this morning in Honiara, Levu Boaz Antafalo of Vanuatu said COSPPac is a flagship climate initiative in the Pacific region.
“The services developed under COSPPac are foundational — from basic data archiving to today’s sub-seasonal and seasonal climate products, now being delivered to sectors and communities for decision-making,” Antafalo said.
“From the experience of Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department, COSPPac has allowed us to scale our capabilities and strengthen how we serve our people.”
COSPPac is funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the New Zealand Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
In a program of four years from 2023 to 2027, COSPPAC Phase 3 (COSPPac3) looks to the development path of the Pacific National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and Land and Survey Departments to enable them to deliver climate and ocean information services, in partnership with their priority stakeholders, that are useful to, and used by government, businesses and communities (including women, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups).
These services will ensure that Pacific Island stakeholders continue to build their resilience to the impacts of climate change and disasters so that they are able to lead safe, secure, and prosperous lives.
But the PMC chairperson said that while there are achievements, reflections must be critical as well.
He said a large share of COSPPac funding remains with technical partners, not with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS).
He added that true empowerment requires resources, tools, and ownership.
“We must do more to bring these investments home.
“A key example is SCOPIC — a vital tool for seasonal forecasting and training. It must be upgraded and maintained to continue building capacity among our climate officers.”
Antafalo stated that the meeting this week must look ahead beyond COSPPac3 and plan for the program’s next phase.
“What are the success stories we can scale? Where are the gaps we need to close?
“I believe COSPPac should play a more active role in the Regional Climate Centre (RCC), the Regional Training Centre, and other coordination platforms.
“The program must support scientific product development and contribute to national and regional reporting obligations.”
The chairperson commended the SPREP Leadership for establishing a new Climate Science and Information Division to continue its regional coordination functions of meteorological services.
“Moving forward, I believe that we must seriously consider regional alignment as well to ensure we are better coordinated with other meteorological initiatives in the region, such as the Weather Ready Pacific.
He also applauded COSPPac for its leadership in documenting Traditional Knowledge (TK) for weather and climate.
“This work is helping to revive knowledge systems that have guided our communities for generations. It also lays the foundation for integrating and operationalizing TK into multi-hazard early warning systems (MHEWS) and adaptation strategies.
“While there have been big strides for COSPPac in leading the TK space, there is also a need to make sure the methodologies and systems for storage are robust, and the support for national activities are pand up to date.
The five-day event brings together key stakeholders, technical partners, and representatives from across the Pacific to review the program’s progress, share experiences, and plan future strategies aimed at building resilient and well-informed communities in the region.