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By: Seia Ualesi

The 2nd Vanuatu Climate Outlook Forum targets discussions on how the climate services information can make a way forward for improvement of provision use and applied the tailoring the climate information for the Health Sector

This meeting brought together national, regional and international experts relevant to climate services with a special focus on Health.

The NCOF – 2 is being co – organized and co supported by the Secretariat Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) with the financial support from the Government of Russia.

SPREP’s representative Lagomauitumua Fata Sunny Seuseu SPREP Climate Service Prediction Coordinator spoke at the meeting.

“This second National Climate Outlook Forum is a significant milestone not only for Vanuatu but for the region,” said Lagomauitumua Fata.

“Changes in the climate system as we see today manifesting in heavy terrestrial rain, floods, droughts, landslides, more severe tropical cyclones and rising sea levels are not only affecting the Environment but also other sectors such as Health, Agriculture, Water, Infrastructure to name a few.”

He recalled the Third Pacific Islands Climate Outlook held in Samoa on September impacted regional meteorology service to plan and prepare for what will be forecasted in an attempt to alleviate the health impacts.

“The successful completion of the Third Pacific Islands Climate Outlook Forum created a good platform for officers from Health and Meteorology from across the region to understand regional impacts.

“This NCOF at the National Level is a local translation of that, and is so essential that this is happening at this scale so the lessons learnt are applied to strengthen national systems work in a variety of areas, including surveillance, statistics, health promotion, laboratory, environmental health and clinical services and also data information sharing and ongoing engagement will be key post of NCOF.”

As the Pacific Roadmap in strengthening climate services approved in the last Pacific Ministerial Meeting on Meteorology in Honiara, Solomon Islands this year, Lagomauitumua added that this roadmap is very important in the engagement work of climate services and other sectors such as health ensure that climate information is interpreted and applied effectively.

“This roadmap advocates for NMS to engage climate sensitive sectors such as Health and work collaborate in tailoring sector specific climate information that is meaningful and can be translated into action to increase resilience and good health outcomes.”

“The Vanuatu Framework for Climate Services that SPREP supported through the Regional Technical Support Mechanism (RTSM) shares the same objectives and it is wonderful to see both the Pacific Roadmap and Vanuatu Framework implemented through this Second National Climate Outlook Forum.”

In conclusion, he congratulated Vanuatu on taking this step for the benefit of the community in a whole.

“The Vanuatu National Climate Outlook Forum allows for the translation of science into practical actions on the ground and facilitate informed decision making. “

“Other Pacific islands will be looking to the outcome of your discussions this week to learn from.”

“I look forward to a number of outcomes from the two-day meeting, which will include the release of the Vanuatu Climate and Tropical Cyclone Outlook for the upcoming 2017/18 cyclone season, a draft Health/Climate Implementation Plan of activities to strengthen the use and uptake of climate information in the health sector, as well as signing of MOU between the two ministries.”


Vanuatu NCOF Representatives from Ministry of Climate Change and Health.

Vanuatu