A WMO Regional Conference "Increasing weather, water and climate resilience in North America, Central America and the Caribbean" takes place in Kingston, Jamaica, from 6 to 9 February 2023.
The Conference will be opened by the Honourable Matthew Samuda, member of the Cabinet of the Ministry on Economic Growth and Job Creation of Jamaica, Mr. Evan Thompson, Director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica and Dr. Wenjian Zhang, WMO Assistant Secretary-General
It gathers Directors of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and technical experts from 23 countries across North America, Central America and the Caribbean, partner and financial institutions and representatives
of the private sectors.
The meeting will discuss and coordinate operational and strategic aspects related with the meteorological and hydrological observing networks, data exchange, provision on services and ways to ensure the sustainability of these infrastructures and related operations.
During the second day, a special session on weather, climate and water services will be organized and this will be the occasion to present the "Early Warnings for All Initiative, with interventions from WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas, and Mami Mizutori, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction, as well as regional experts.
The Regional Conference will also review the ongoing cooperation and financial mechanisms to support the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services such as the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), The Climate Risk Early Warning Systems (CREWS) Caribbean project and other relevant and merging opportunities.
The Conference and expected outputs are critical for the region considering the overall social and economic challenges, the recovery process after pandemics and the global context. An enhanced coordination and intra-regional cooperation will be key mechanisms to enhance essential early warning services and contribute with the Sustainable Development Goals with emphasis in the reduction of adverse climate-weather and water adverse impacts and increase resilience.
The Jamaican Government has played a leadership role in the region, with explicit messages and call for action during COP 27 by Minister Samuda and by the relevant contribution of Jamaican Meteorological Service in WMO Regional activities through the Presidency of the WMO Regional Association IV with Mr. Evan Thompson. This leadership has made possible to consolidate the mutual assistance and cooperation between the NMHS from the region and executing a pragmatic Regional Implementation Plan bringing new opportunities for Central America and the Caribbean regions.
