Bangkok, Thailand – The South Asia Hydromet Forum (SAHF) successfully concluded a pivotal planning workshop on Impact-Based Forecasting (IBF) and Climate Services from 21-24 January 2025. The event brought together more than 40 stakeholders from across the region and partners around the globe to solidify plans for enhanced climate resilience and translate regional climate priorities into actionable strategies.

With crucial support from a consortium of international partners, the workshop underscores the global recognition of South Asia’s vulnerability to climate change and the importance of regional cooperation. 

“As we embark on the next phase of SAHF, our collective efforts will shape a regionally owned and sustained workplan and roadmap for impact-based forecasting and climate services, ensuring that priorities are not only identified but also actionable,” remarked David Corbelli, UK Met Office (UKMO) Senior International Development Manager.

The workshop focused on advancing IBF approaches to improve hazard impact prediction and resource allocation, building on agreements from the 3rd SAHF Executive Council Meeting in November 2023 and the SAHF IV Conference in February 2024. Participants reviewed regional progress, shared insights on key challenges, and explored innovative solutions. 

Key outcomes from the workshop include the further development of priorities for the SAHF IBF Working Group, an implementation plan for 2025-2028, and the establishment of a regional toolkit to support IBF system design and sustainability. 

“The workplan covers the priorities we have identified in the working group (WG), especially the forecasting part where we were able to provide our inputs. However, we have to ensure that the policies are aligned with national frameworks,” commented M.M.P. Mendis, Deputy Director for National Meteorological Center, Department of Meteorology – Sri Lanka on the presentation of IBF Workplan for 2025-2028. 

Pakistan Meteorology Department-National Weather Forecasting Center Director and SAHF IBF WG CO-Chair Dr. Zaheer Ahmed Babar affirmed the group’s commitment to its implementation as he added: “We have yet to review the final workplan from this workshop, but definitely, the SAHF IBF Working Group will lead its implementation.”

The final sessions of the workshop focused on National Frameworks for Climate Services (NFCS) and its integration with IBF under the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). Participants assessed the current status of NFCS across the region and identified opportunities for advancement. 

The four-day workshop featured interactive sessions, expert presentations, and collaborative discussions. Key agenda highlights included review of IBF priorities and Decision Support Systems (DSS), poster presentations, and hands-on exercises to address crowdsourcing challenges. The event also covered identification of priority hazards for South Asia, workplan development, and monitoring and evaluation strategies. 

“Our journey from vision to action in impact-based forecasting has been a testament to regional cooperation—delivering common but differentiated services while respecting local contexts, ensuring climate information is actionable at every level,” shared RIMES Director General Mr. A.R. Subbiah in his opening message. 

The workshop concluded with a draft roadmap for IBF and climate services implementation in South Asia, aligned with regional priorities and global frameworks. It provided a crucial platform for SAHF member countries and international partners to collaborate on innovative solutions for disaster risk reduction and climate resilience. Next steps include refining these outputs with SAHF working group members, incorporating feedback, and finalizing recommendations before submission for approval at the next SAHF Executive Council Meeting.

This activity was funded under the Weather and Climate Information Services (WISER) Programme with UK International Development from the UK government and led by the Met Office, the UK’s National Meteorological Service. This is a component of the broader UK Government’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) initiative, Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CARE) for South Asia, and World Bank. Technical support provided by the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System (RIMES) and the Met Office in the UK.

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The South Asia Hydromet Forum (SAHF) is a regional initiative that provides capacity building and training activities to support NMHSs to generate and transform climate data into reliable information that is critical in saving lives and assets and strengthening the #resilience of communities in South Asia.