Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for resilience in 5 island countries of the Pacific Ocean

The proposal seeks USD 47.4 million to upgrade National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) from WMO Category 1 to Category 2 across five Pacific island nations. The programme focuses on strengthening observation networks, establishing ocean information services, improving community preparedness through 'last-mile' communication, and introducing Forecast-based Financing (FbF).

• The five target countries—Cook Islands, Niue, Palau, Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and Tuvalu—face extreme vulnerability to climate change, with total replacement costs for assets, infrastructure, and crops at risk from natural disasters exceeding USD 7.6 billion.
• Current National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in these countries operate at WMO’s Basic–Category 1 level, meaning they lack the capacity for comprehensive ocean observations, impact-based forecasting, and advanced early warning systems.
• The programme aims to reduce economic damages and losses from climate-induced disasters, such as tropical cyclones and flooding, by an estimated 15-30%.
• A primary objective is to transform the five NMHSs from WMO Basic (Category 1) to Essential (Category 2) level, which includes establishing Quality Management Systems (QMSs) and meeting Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) surface-based standards.
• The proposal includes the installation of dual-polarization X-band Doppler radar systems in each of the five countries to enhance severe weather monitoring and early warning.
• The programme will establish end-to-end ocean information services, including the use of surface wave and environmental buoys, HF radar in Niue, and unmanned deep ocean observing vehicles in the Cook Islands.
• To reach remote populations, the programme will implement 'last-mile' communication strategies, including village 'compass' posts in Niue and Tuvalu and a maritime safety information network in Palau.
• The programme introduces Forecast-based Financing (FbF), a mechanism where early actions are pre-planned and funded based on credible forecasts to minimize losses before a climate shock occurs.
• Traditional knowledge (TK) will be integrated into early warning services in Niue, Palau, and RMI to improve the acceptance and effectiveness of scientific forecasts among local communities.
• The total financing for the programme is USD 49,933,658, with a GCF grant request of USD 47,403,174 and approximately USD 2.5 million in in-kind co-financing from the participating governments and UNEP.

APA

Green Climate Fund (2020). Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for resilience in 5 island countries of the Pacific Ocean. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp147-unep-multiple-countries.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for resilience in 5 island countries of the Pacific Ocean. 2020. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp147-unep-multiple-countries.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for resilience in 5 island countries of the Pacific Ocean |date=13 November 2020 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp147-unep-multiple-countries.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2020enhancing, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Enhancing Climate Information and Knowledge Services for resilience in 5 island countries of the Pacific Ocean}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2020}, month = nov, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp147-unep-multiple-countries.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }