In many regions, there is still an inadequate connection between National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and the various sectors they serve, particularly in terms of custom-tailored climate services. Over recent years, considerable investments have been made in infrastructure, technology, and tools to bridge this gap.
One notable tool is the Climate Station—a platform designed for the retrieval, processing, and visualization of climate and Earth observation datasets to enhance climate services. This platform, developed by the European Union’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) as part of the Intra-African Caribbean and Pacific Climate Services and Related Applications Programme (ClimSA), has been in use since 2021 at Regional Climate Centres as a prototype and is now fully integrated into Climate Service Information Systems (CSIS) for regional deployment.
In May 2025, a specialized training session was conducted at the Pacific Climate Change Centre in Apia, Samoa, which equipped 48 participants from 16 countries with the skills to utilize the Climate Station effectively. The training combined theoretical learning with hands-on simulations, emphasizing the platform’s potential to offer sector-specific, user-friendly tools that convert climate data into actionable decisions.
Mr. Naheed Hussein, Officer in Charge of the Climate Science and Information Programme at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), highlighted that feedback from users, along with local data integration, is critical to maximizing the platform’s utility and accuracy. Participants included representatives from regional NMHSs as well as the fisheries and agriculture sectors.
Ms. Maselina Chu Shing, a boat owner and fish vendor from Apia, expressed optimism about the Climate Station, stating that while the technical aspects posed challenges, understanding when and where to fish using tailored climate products would be invaluable for local fishermen, particularly those with limited technical resources.
The training and support for deploying the Climate Station have been enabled through funding from the European Union’s Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (Intra-ACP ClimSA) Project, implemented by SPREP. This initiative reflects a broader commitment to empowering local communities through better access to climate data, thereby fostering resilience in the face of climate change.
Overall, the advancements represented by the Climate Station initiative and ongoing training sessions signify a positive step toward enhancing climate resilience in the Pacific region, paving the way for communities to sustainably adapt to evolving environmental challenges.
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