Observing the world with the Met Office

London, 20 March/GNN/ -- MET OFFICE News Release issued by The Government News Network on 20 March 2008 As the world celebrates World Meteorological Day the Met Office looks at the role we play in

To recognise the importance of global observations, the theme for this year's
celebrations which take place on the 25th 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 Pacific
Islands. Our partnership with the Met Office is a world-class model for
international cooperation 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.

Source: Met Office

2008-03-20 19:05:03 0317688 PRNEWSWIRE