1. Public Education, Outreach and User Interface
Haleh Kootval
Chief, Public Weather Services
WMO
24 May 2006
09/12/2018

2. Main Issue Wealth of accurate data and information
Use to mitigate and prevent many weather, air quality, climate and water-related natural disasters
What prevents the effective use of this information?
09/12/2018

3. Linear Information “Supply Chain”
Public
Atmospheric
Observation
Community
Local & Regional
Air Quality
Managers
Operational
Forecasting
Community
Public Health
Officials
Hazard Alerting
Community
09/12/2018

4. Why Information fails?
NMHSs provide technical data, information on weather, climate and water to the public and specialized users
Information is accurate but not integrated in decision making process
No training on how to use information effectively
Lack of recognition of both science and human elements in good information delivery
09/12/2018

5. Main Issue
How can we as a community of providers and consumers of information do better?
How can we involve everyone who is involved in serving the community by providing, interpreting, getting it out and getting it to those who need it
A closed circle of end-to-end-to-end
09/12/2018

6. Community of Practice
Gary Foley,
US EPA
09/12/2018

7. What is Needed?
Who are the participants? Suppliers and users of information – will often include local community representatives
Recognition that all of the participants in the information chain are part of the decision process
Increase in the open exchange of information between all participants
09/12/2018

8. What is Needed?
Effective translation of environmental information into informed decisions
Enable effective decision making by individuals as well as agencies
Better and more local training and education
09/12/2018

9. Community outreach Activities in Hong Kong
Luncheon with media
09/12/2018

10. Community outreach Activities in Hong Kong
09/12/2018

11. How are We Approaching This?
WMO is engaging own community and users communities at national, regional and local levels to develop “communities of practice”
Encouraging and sharing best practices, most often from developing countries
Using “community of practice” concept to remove gaps between provision and understanding and use of information
09/12/2018

12. How are We Approaching This?
Strengthening NMHSs role
Quality forecasts and warnings
User understanding of products and services
User understanding of the uncertainty in forecasts and warnings
Equip other members of the “community of practice” (e.g. the public) to make informed decisions
More attention to user understanding and potential impact to respond appropriately to official information from NMHSs
09/12/2018