Page 34 - IB AUG 2017

Advertorial
Science and services for responding to a

Changing climate in the Pacific

Rosy Mitiepo of the Niue Meteorological Service checks readings for the day. Photo: Supplied
SMALL island developing states are This science-based climate change weather and climate data, information,
among the most vulnerable to our information can be used to prepare for decision-support tools and communica-
changing climate. future threats and take advantage of tion/awareness raising products which
People living in the Pacific are already possible opportunities resulting from the can be used by national governments,
experiencing higher temperatures, shifts changing climate. sectoral stakeholders and local com-
in rainfall patterns, rising sea levels and Climate sensitive (‘smart’) adapta- munities for assessing climate risks,
changes in frequency and intensity of tion plans for areas such as agriculture, adapting to the changing climate and
extreme climate events. fisheries resources, building codes, managing disaster risk.
Further changes are expected long into water resource management, energy Climate change scientists from Aus-
the future because of climate change as- planning, public health management and tralia’s Commonwealth Scientific and In-
sociated with human activity. overall well-being of local communities dustrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
These changes, which are occurring on will help Pacific nations be prepared for and Bureau of Meteorology have been
top of a naturally variable climate, have the future, build resilience and create working with the Secretariat of the Pa-
far-reaching consequences that will af- sustainability. cific Regional Environment Programme
fect communities and the environment. However, this can only be achieved (SPREP) to provide the latest climate
Preparing for these consequences is if climate change data and information change science for the region, as well
a challenge, because climate change is discoverable, accessible, useful and as develop the in-country capacity to
means that the climate we have been applied. turn climate change science into climate
used to in the past is not the climate that Translating climate change informa- change services.
we will have in the future. tion into climate change action is an Resources developed to help Pacific
While we do not know exactly how the important role carried out by national island nations understand climate vari-
future will unfold in 30, 50 or 100 years, meteorological services. ability and change in the region, and
we can use climate change science to tell Climate change information services use science-based information to build
us what the future climate might be like. delivered by the national meteorologi- resilience are available on the Pacific
Climate change scientists draw on cal services are based on past, present Climate Change Science website at www.
what they know about how the climate and future climate, large-scale climate pacificclimatechangescience.org.
system works and how it is changing processes and related impacts on natural n CSIRO/SPREP
to narrow down the possibilities for the and human systems.
climate we can expect in the future. The services generate and provide

34 Islands Business, August 2017