@article{0e1af901f1cb40609ccdb220a8f90b8e,
title = "Fit for purpose? Transforming National Meteorological and Hydrological Services into National Climate Service Centers",
abstract = "Climate services are becoming an important strategy for delivering climate information to users around the world. In many countries, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) are charged with providing climate services to diverse audiences. Climate services are important to foster adaptation to climate risks and in reducing vulnerability in developing world contexts. However, the production and delivery of user-oriented climate services place new burdens on NMHSs and require new skillsets, partnerships, and infrastructure. In this paper, we assess the capabilities of 22 NMHSs in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to understand whether and how NMHSs are fit for the purpose of providing climate services. Our assessment is framed around the five core pillars of the World Meteorological Organization's Global Framework for Climate Services. We find that the NMHSs face key capacity gaps in the technical production, translation, transfer, and facilitation of the use of climate information. Some of these gaps have historical roots and relate to the overarching legal, political, and institutional settings in which NMHSs were established and currently operate. Others relate to an increased emphasis on users in ways that contrast with traditional NMHSs{\textquoteright} engagement with stakeholders. These results suggest that investments that support the co-production of climate information while also addressing prevailing legal, political, and institutional disconnects and human resource constraints can strengthen the provision of climate services in Caribbean SIDS.",
keywords = "Caribbean, Climate adaptation, Climate services, Global Framework for Climate Services, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, Small Island Developing States",
author = "Roch{\'e} Mahon and Christina Greene and Cox, {Shelly Ann} and Zack Guido and Gerlak, {Andrea K.} and Petrie, {Jodi Ann} and Adrian Trotman and Diana Liverman and {Van Meerbeeck}, {C{\'e}dric J.} and Wazita Scott and David Farrell",
note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the Caribbean NMHSs for their participation in this study. This research was funded by the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) Programme for Building Regional Climate Capacity in the Caribbean (BRCCC Programme) with the generous support of the American people. The three-year BRCCC Programme was executed by the WMO and implemented by the CIMH. Additionally, support for the University of Arizona authors was provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Grant NA13OAR4310184 with contributions from the USAID under the International Research and Applications Project (IRAP). Funding agencies had no involvement in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication. Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the Caribbean NMHSs for their participation in this study. This research was funded by the United States Agency for International Development{\textquoteright}s ( USAID ) Programme for Building Regional Climate Capacity in the Caribbean (BRCCC Programme) with the generous support of the American people. The three-year BRCCC Programme was executed by the WMO and implemented by the CIMH. Additionally, support for the University of Arizona authors was provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ) Grant NA13OAR4310184 with contributions from the USAID under the International Research and Applications Project (IRAP). Funding agencies had no involvement in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019 The Authors",
year = "2019",
month = jan,
doi = "10.1016/j.cliser.2019.01.002",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "13",
pages = "14--23",
journal = "Climate Services",
issn = "2405-8807",
publisher = "Elsevier BV",
}