NOAA’s Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) program provided technical and funding support for a Regional Workshop on National Frameworks for Climate Services in the Caribbean (March 20-22, 2024; Christ Church, Barbados). The Caribbean is often referenced as a model for regional climate services; however, there are meaningful gaps in the region when it comes to climate services on the national scale. Last week’s workshop was intended to hone in on some of the challenges and opportunities for building climate services for adaptation and resilience on the national scale, which ranged from policy instruments to institutional relationships to long-term support for key national organizations in the region.
The March 2024 workshop was convened by the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH). In addition to NOAA’s support, the workshop leveraged additional technical support from the World Meterological Organization (WMO), the UK Met Office, and the Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications Programme (ClimSA).
Representatives from 13 National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) were joined by national and regional stakeholders from various sectors, including public health, tourism, disaster risk management, agriculture, water resources and energy to address key elements in the process of building and enhancing climate information services on a regional scale. Together, participants addressed challenges to “mainstreaming” climate information across these sectors and to scaling the existing regional climate services infrastructure to meet national and sub-national needs. Participants received technical guidance on developing stakeholder maps and supporting stakeholder engagement; evaluating and articulating the value of climate information services for the purpose of accessing climate finance and sustainable support for NMHS operations; and methods for engaging with indigenous communities and other underrepresented groups in the region (this latter work was also supported by NOAA’s AdSci program through a partnership with the U.S. Department of State).
Results from a May 2023 Workshop on Climate Services for Adaptation and Resilience, co-convened by NOAA and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), were also presented and utilized to frame the week’s activities. Lisa Vaughan, Director of International Programs for CPO’s Climate and Societal Interactions Division, presented opening remarks on behalf of NOAA.
The workshop, and the ongoing partnership between NOAA and the U.S. Department of State to enhance climate information systems, adaptation and resilience in the Caribbean, was highlighted in a recently released White House Fact Sheet on U.S.-Caribbean Engagement.
White House Fact Sheet on Caribbean engagement »
For more information, contact Lisa Vaughan.
Image credit: Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology
