As well as being the UK’s national weather and climate service, the Met Office works internationally in support of the delivery of UK government policy and as part of our commitment to improving global weather and climate provision. Collaboration is integral to achieving these aims and includes working with other parts of UK government. As my job title suggests, my role at the Met Office focuses on the international development work we are involved in, and relationships with two key UK government departments also working internationally, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DFID).
Our team on the ground in south east Asia has close links to the British High Commission in Singapore, and were pleased to be asked to be involved in the Green Growth & Business Forum (GGBF) being held in the city earlier this month. This provided us with a great opportunity to showcase some of our work in the region. Our scientific consultant Francis Colledge, currently based in Singapore, took the opportunity to speak about the importance of climate models and data in driving development solutions in the ASEAN region. He specifically looked at a recent case study developed in partnership with Lloyds of London and Guy Carpenter. Research was undertaken to establish the relevance of developing an agricultural weather index to support insurers/reinsurers in assessing risk in the south east Asia region. The GGBF aimed to highlight opportunities and benefits in green growth in the region, so this subject was of real interest to the audience of business leaders, policymakers and the research and innovation community.
This isn’t the first time we have worked with the FCO to highlight some of the work we do internationally. Again in south east Asia, we took part in a Britain is Great event earlier this year in the Philippines. This focussed on our work in partnership with the national meteorological service, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration, in developing a weather and climate forecasting, guidance and impacts service for the country.
As we translate our science and forecasts into impact-based advice and solutions for protection, prosperity and wellbeing in the UK and overseas, we will continue to engage with the global meteorological community. Working with the FCO supports us in this international work and provides us with opportunities to raise awareness of the partnerships we are involved in. So thank you to the FCO for this latest opportunity and we look forward to the next time!