Against a backdrop of growing global climate instability, the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda is taking intentional, collaborative action to strengthen its defenses against climate shocks. The Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service (ABMS), fully funded by the national government, has announced it will convene the Third National Climate Outlook Forum (NCOF-3) on June 4, 2026. The day-long event will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Royalton Antigua Hotel, located in Five Islands Village, St. John’s.
Centered on the theme “From Observation to Action: Climate Services for a Resilient Tomorrow,” NCOF-3 will gather a diverse cross-section of experts and sector stakeholders. Attendees will include leading meteorologists, climate scientists, academic researchers, agricultural specialists, utility network managers, disaster risk reduction strategists, urban and regional planners, and key decision-makers from climate-vulnerable sectors spanning agriculture, energy, tourism, public health, water resource management, and disaster mitigation. This interdisciplinary gathering is designed to break down silos between research, policy, and on-the-ground action.
The core objective of the forum is to reinforce cross-sector collaboration and expand the country’s ability to deliver timely, trustworthy, and actionable climate data and early hazard warnings to communities and institutions across the nation. Dale Destin, Director of the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service, emphasized that the recurring National Climate Outlook Forum remains a foundational pillar of the country’s work to build national climate resilience and deliver on the promise of early warning access for all populations.
“This year’s forum builds on the incremental, meaningful progress we have achieved in previous years, and it reaffirms our long-standing commitment to producing climate information that is timely, contextually relevant, and usable for decision-makers at every level,” Destin explained. “By convening all key stakeholders in one space, we aim to deepen collaborative ties, boost the country’s capacity to address the intensifying challenges posed by climate variability and long-term climate change, and launch a new era of improved weather, climate, and tsunami services for Antigua and Barbuda. This transformation will elevate national preparedness and strengthen our collective ability to withstand climate shocks.”
Since its launch, the NCOF has functioned as a critical national platform for sharing and debating projections for upcoming seasonal climate patterns, evaluating how shifting conditions will impact key economic and social sectors, and co-developing tailored climate services that support evidence-based decision-making, proactive disaster risk reduction, and long-term adaptive resilience building. This national initiative aligns directly with global priorities, including the United Nations Early Warning for All Initiative and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Global Framework for Climate Services, underscoring Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to advancing accessible, relevant, and effective climate services for all segments of society.
As a core national public institution, the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service is mandated to deliver critical weather, climate, marine, and tsunami monitoring and advisory services across the country. As the national authoritative body for meteorology and the central coordinating hub for national meteorological early warning systems, ABMS forms the backbone of the country’s disaster resilience infrastructure. It delivers accurate, timely, and actionable information to government agencies, private sector businesses, local communities, and the general public, generating substantial, measurable economic benefits for the nation. By enabling proactive disaster loss avoidance and improving operational efficiency across key sectors, ABMS estimates its services deliver annual economic value equivalent to up to 6% of the country’s gross domestic product, translating to roughly XCD 200–400 million (USD 74–150 million) in avoided costs each year.
Through its forecasting, early warning, climate service, and hazard monitoring programs, the service plays an irreplaceable role in protecting lives, livelihoods, private property, and critical national infrastructure, while advancing core national goals of disaster risk reduction and climate resilience. Its services underpin the operation of key economic sectors including civil aviation, maritime transport, the blue economy, tourism, agriculture, water resource management, public health, energy, and emergency management, making a major contribution to national safety, economic stability, and long-term sustainable development.
