Objectives: To improve the broad communication between NMS staff and external agencies that utilise their products, especially the media and, to a lesser extent, specialised stakeholder groups.

Whilst effective communication of SCOPIC outputs (i.e. on climate variability) will be central to this pilot project, the development of skills relating to the communication of meteorological information in general, e.g. weather and climate change, will also be encouraged, including improved intra-office contact as appropriate.

Specific objectives include

For NMS staff:

• Increasing the skills of NMS staff in their engagement with local media and with broader stakeholder groups: and
• Improving presentation skills of NMS staff, including in the areas of media interviews and material presentation.

For Media representatives:

• Improving their understanding of meteorological events, achieving a sufficient knowledge of the weather and climate related products, with a special emphasis on SCOPIC products, and encouraging their engagement with the local NMS.

Outcomes under Phase 1: The workshop on Weather, Climate and the Media - Strengthening Links was conducted in the Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands from October 2005 to March 2006.

The aims of this workshop were to:

1. announce new climate prediction service;
2. raise awareness and understanding and potential applications of the new climate prediction service;
3. increase understanding of the media by climate services staff;
4. strengthen links between media staff and climate services staff; and
5. to seek advice on communicating climate predictions.

Outcomes under Phase 2: Similar workshops conducted for:

• Fiji - 23rd to 25th October 2007
• Papua New Guinea - 21st to 23rd November 2007
• Solomon Islands - 26th to 28th November 2007
• Kiribati - 6th to 12th May 2008