By Linny Folau

Moving closer to the vulnerable Asia Pacific region –where more intense tropical storms are hitting the islands, the World Meteorological Organization opens its new office in Singapore today.

WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas told Matangi Tonga that the new office manned by about 10 staff strengthens the organisation's presence in the Pacific by moving their sub-regional office from Geneva to Singapore.

Mr Taalas who was attending the Fourth Pacific Meteorological Council Meeting in Honiara this week, said they are also strengthening their sub-regional office in Samoa with more staff.

"WMO has successfully been getting resources from external sources to support the meteorological services in Pacific Island countries. We are also providing scientific information in climate and disasters," he said,

Both the Samoa and Singapore office will serve the region.

WMO coordinates the functions of the various national meteorological services, and Mr Taalas said WMO’s strategy is promoting regional programs rather than single country programs.

“Meteorology does not know geographical borders so it is important that we work together and build this capacity on climate services and multi-hazards warning in the region.”

Early warning services

"We now have the Green Climate Fund funding for regional programs also covering Tonga, while the Finnish-Pacific Project (FINPAC) supports improving the early warning services in 14 Pacific countries, as well as capacity building," he said.

“There is a growing need for these early warning services because of climate sense as we are starting to see more extreme events in disasters. We have seen some parts of the world getting more flooding, tropical storms, storm surges which leads to severe coastal flooding events.”

He said countries have to be prepared and activities need to be improved. "We need to build more capacity, that is one of the reasons for moving this office physically to the region in Singapore."

Pacific Met

He said the capacity of Pacific meteorological services had progressed well since he started working for WMO in 2005.

"For Tonga you have an excellent Met Director 'Ofa Fa'anunu who is also the Vice-President for the WMO Region 5 consisting of 24 Pacific countries, including Tonga.

He said since the current President from Indonesia is going to retire in October, Fa'anunu is going to be acting president until next year when WMO hosts the region's session to elect a new president.

“Tonga has a strong candidate,” he said.