WMO Participates in Fourth Annual ClimSA Global Forum to Enhance Climate Services for Sustainable Adaptation

WMO participated in several sessions, including one on the sustainability of the programme and support to the Regional Climate Centres (RCCs).

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) participated in the fourth Annual Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA) Global Forum, titled “Improving Climate Services for Sustainable Adaptation Actions: Engagement with End-Users and Policymakers." The event was held from 24 to 27 June in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Supported by the European Union, the forum was organized by the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and hosted by the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) and the Government of Jamaica through the Meteorological Service of Jamaica.

The forum fostered dialogue, knowledge sharing, and catalyzed action towards building resilient communities across the 79 Member States of the OACPS, which are among the most vulnerable to climate-related hazards. It emphasized the importance of collaboration between climate services leaders, experts, stakeholders, and end-users to address critical challenges related to climate resilience and sustainable development.

Mr. Aniceto Rodriguez Ruiz, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation in Jamaica, underscored the EU's commitment to supporting climate action in African, Caribbean, and Pacific states. He highlighted the EU’s dedication to integrating environmental, climate change, and disaster risk reduction considerations into all external actions with partner countries.

The forum occurred just a week before Hurricane Beryl impacted Jamaica and other Caribbean islands, underscoring the urgency of initiatives to build resilience, save lives, and protect economies.

ClimSA, an EUR 85 million initiative of the OACPS funded by the European Union through the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Intra-ACP ClimSA Programme, aims to strengthen the climate services value chain—from access to information, generation, and provision of climate services to engagement and capacity building of users to ensure effective utilization of these services.

ClimSA supports the climate information services value chain with technical assistance, financial aid, infrastructure, and capacity building to improve access and use of climate information for decision-making processes at all levels in the six regions of the OACPS through eight Regional Climate Centres (RCCs).

The four-day global forum aligned with the strategic initiatives of the OACPS, regional organizations, and the WMO Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). It aims to contribute significantly to the realization of the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

WMO participated in several sessions, including one on the sustainability of the programme and support to the Regional Climate Centres (RCCs). A critical session focused on the guidelines for developing Regional and National Frameworks for Climate Services.

The forum concluded with a field visit, organized with the assistance of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), to the Mafoota Agricultural Cooperative in St. James Parish, Jamaica. Forum participants were greeted by the Cooperative project coordinator, Ms. Sadie Dixon Bennett, who presented the daily activities of the Cooperative and some of the climate-smart initiatives they are undertaking for sustainable farming.