WMO officially appointed Dr. Netatua Taufatofua to its Scientific Advisory Panel ^Featured

Talking from the WMO Executive Council meeting in Geneva today, Tonga’s Permanent Representative with WMO and also the President of WMO Region V (South East Asia and South West Pacific) Mr. Ofa Fa’anunu reported.

“This is a very proud moment for the Kingdom of Tonga that one of its daughters has been selected by the global community to be one of the top scientific advisors in the world on weather, climate and water. WMO is in a process of reform right now. To change the way we do things as an organisation to improve our efficiency and the way we deal with natural hazards. Netatua will play a big role in this process. 

Her selection today is a huge step for Pacific SIDS in combatting the dire effects of climate change in line with the work program of the WMO underlined in its 2020-23 Strategic Plan. She will bring her academic background and Pacific regional experience to the work of WMO. Netatua has vast experience in Regional Meteorology and helped establish the Pacific Meteorological Council in 2011 when she was Director of the Climate Change Program at the Secretariat of the Pacific Environmental Program (SPREP). She will serve WMO for a period of 2 years initially over the transition period of the WMO reform with a possibility of extending to 4 years.

Netatua, holds a PHD Degree in Environmental Science specialising in Sustainable Coastal Resource Monitoring and Assessment, coastal water quality, coral reefs and sea grass) – Environmental Science Department, University of Wollongong, Australia (2003).

The Panel consists of 15 scientists worldwide (10 Male and 5 Female). The other scientists in the Panel are from the USA, UK, Finland, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Russia, Switzerland, Botswana, Kenya and China.

- MET