Pacific met services boosted by Finland
23/09/2009 18:14
By Cherelle Jackson
APIA --- More than two million tala will be invested into improving meteorological services of Pacific island nations in the next three years.
The assistance comes from the Foreign Ministry of the Government of Finland, who says that is just their way of being a responsible nation.
Speaking to Environment Weekly, Special Representative of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Pasi Patokallio outlined the reason for the assistance to the region.
“We want to be a good global citizen, we not only take care of ourselves but we also try to help others.”
The Representative there is room for their assistance in the Pacific: “For our government, combating climate change is a policy priority, we do it at home, we do it as a member of the European Union we do it in the context of our development corporation, not only in the Pacific but in the Carribean,” he said.
Patokallio was in Samoa last week to take part in a Finnish sponsored workshop to improve weather services hosted at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.
“We are a relatively small country, of course in the Pacific we are not that small, as there are more than 5 million people, but we have some knowledge, niche and some activities we are very good at, our meteorological services are world class. They can assist,” Patokallio said.
“We have certain specialties and this is the aviation weather services and especially we do quality management system that is and will be required by the international civil aviation organisation. So this is something we can help make a contribution.”
According to the Finland Meteorology Institute weather phenomena and air pollutants do not recognise national boarders and so international co-operation is a natural and essential part of meteorological development.
The assistance comes from the Foreign Ministry of the Government of Finland, who says that is just their way of being a responsible nation.
Speaking to Environment Weekly, Special Representative of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Pasi Patokallio outlined the reason for the assistance to the region.
“We want to be a good global citizen, we not only take care of ourselves but we also try to help others.”
The Representative there is room for their assistance in the Pacific: “For our government, combating climate change is a policy priority, we do it at home, we do it as a member of the European Union we do it in the context of our development corporation, not only in the Pacific but in the Carribean,” he said.
Patokallio was in Samoa last week to take part in a Finnish sponsored workshop to improve weather services hosted at the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme.
“We are a relatively small country, of course in the Pacific we are not that small, as there are more than 5 million people, but we have some knowledge, niche and some activities we are very good at, our meteorological services are world class. They can assist,” Patokallio said.
“We have certain specialties and this is the aviation weather services and especially we do quality management system that is and will be required by the international civil aviation organisation. So this is something we can help make a contribution.”
According to the Finland Meteorology Institute weather phenomena and air pollutants do not recognise national boarders and so international co-operation is a natural and essential part of meteorological development.