BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
Deputy Secretary Corporate of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Disaster Management (MECDM), Karl Kuper, said the Pacific Ocean Portal is more than just a digital tool.
Speaking during the launch at The Club, Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara on Wednesday this week, Kuper said the portal is designed to ensure ocean climate information is not only available but useful, usable, and ultimately for Pacific people and institutions.
He said that it reflects both the Pacific-led capabilities and the strength of Pacific states’ long-term partnerships.
He also stated the portal offers a direct response to the needs identified by the region and delivers major improvements in its usability and functionality.
“It provides a tailored user experience, allowing the fishers and forecasters to access the ocean data that matters most for them. It brings interactive data access with real-time visualisations, dynamic maps and downloadable formats that make information more engaging and actionable.
“It offers secure national dashboards, enables countries to host customised versions of the portal and integrate local datasets and choose what they want to share publicly. Colleagues, this is more than just a digital tool. It is already informing decisions in areas that matter deeply to us, including coral reef protection, maritime safety, tourism, fisheries and disaster resilience,” Kuper said.
He said that it reflects the Climate and Ocean Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac’s) enduring commitment to deliver climate and ocean services that are technically robust, locally relevant and people-centred.
“Most importantly, the Pacific Ocean Support Portal is a public good and a truly Pacific-owned achievement. Allow me to congratulate SPC, COSPPac and all of our partners for this remarkable achievement. This portal is not just a tool, it is a symbol of partnership, progress and Pacific leadership.
“So, may it continue to empower our communities, inform our decisions and strengthen our collective resilience in the face of a changing climate,” Kuper concluded.
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