25 March 2008
As the world celebrates World Meteorological Day the Met Office looks at the role we play in supporting global observations to monitor a changing climate.
To recognise the importance of global observations, the theme for this year's celebrations which take place on 25 March, is 'Observing our planet for a better future'.
Understanding and responding to the impacts of climate change cannot be done without both past and future observations. Many small islands around the world are at immediate threat from climate change impacts, such as sea level rise and the increasing frequency of more intense tropical cyclones. The Met Office supports the Seychelles, Kiribati, Tuvalu, and the Cook Islands in its observations of the world's environment which means that we get consistent records of climate variables from around the world.
Pene Lefale from the MetService New Zealand said: "We are very grateful to the Met Office for its invaluable support. It helps ensure the continuing quality and integrity of meteorological and climate data gathered in the Pacific Islands. Our partnership with the Met Office is a world-class model for international co-operation to monitor global changes".
The Met Office plays a significant part in helping other countries contribute to the network. This includes funding for observation systems, training for the observers, and communications networks so the observations can be made available throughout the world within minutes of them being completed.
Last updated: 18 April 2011