AESA is proud to announce that today marks the beginning of the fourth ClimSA Forum, themed “Improving Climate Services for Sustainable Adaptation Actions: Engagement with End-Users and Policymakers.” This year, we gather in the picturesque Montego Bay, Jamaica, from June 24th to 27th.
The 2024 ClimSA Forum in Jamaica, which starts today 24th June and will end on Thursday 27th June is co organised by the Government of Jamaica – our gracious Hosts, the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) the Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the European Commission, who have worked closely and collaboratively with the AESA Climate Change and Environment team and the TA to the OACPS, the African Union Commission and the Indian Ocean Commission (through the HIDROMET Programme).
The ClimSA Forums are a cornerstone for climate change community, offering an invaluable opportunity to take stock of progress, review advancements and achievements of ClimSA’s implementing partners, assess outputs from regional climate centres and national meteorological and hydrological services, gather crucial feedback from end-users, and facilitate in-person exchanges of best practices and lessons learned across regions of the OACPS and her partners.
Since the last forum, many countries and regions within the OACPS have experienced climate and extreme weather-related disasters, causing significant disruptions, damage, destruction, and loss of life. This underscores the urgency of our mission. We must intensify efforts to address the climate emergency. Vulnerable countries, particularly SIDS, LDCs, and African nations, need immediate and substantial resources to adapt to and mitigate the escalating threats of climate change.
The Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) and National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) play a pivotal role in providing quality, timely information essential for decision-making across all sectors. Whether it is government officials, farmers, fishers, or private sector stakeholders, the information they rely on must be accurate and timely to protect their hard-earned gains.
As we surpass the mid-way mark of the ClimSA Programme implementation in many regions, it is imperative to consider the sustainability of these climate services. Making a compelling business case to our governments and partners about the importance of climate services is crucial. These services and related applications are fundamental to achieving sustainability and building resilience within our communities. The ClimSA Forums provide a platform to highlight why climate services are a human right and how they are integral to climate adaptation, mitigation, sustainability, and resilience. We must integrate the stories of our RCCs and NMHSs into our broader narratives of meeting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement commitments.
The goal is to ensure that access to quality, timely climate services becomes as common in the Global South as it is in the North. This is the standard we should collectively aim for. As part of the organisers AESA trust that the next four days will be enriching, inspiring, and energizing. Together, let us commit to doing more and doing better for our regions, our countries, and our communities as we navigate the complexities and challenges of the climate emergency.
