The strong need for improved access to weather and climate information for Pacific Island peoples has been increasingly recognised over the last decade. With this growth in available data and understanding, however, there has remained a missing link in transforming it into valuable adaptation activities: communication. 
While the understanding of the scientific community in these areas has increased greatly, failure to communicate this information effectively has proved a significant roadblock on the path to adaptation. We believe that in case of decision making for adaptation planning "climate information is not useful is it isn't being used."
With a view to supporting Pacific colleagues in beginning to bridge this problem, the Climate and Oceans Support Program in the Pacific (COSPPac) has been engaging with partners in the National Meteorological Services (or equivalent) in 14 Pacific island nations, to build capacity in communication and engagement skills. As yet, this has primarily been through in-country training workshops on topics such as stakeholder engagement and presentation skills, as well as an intensive regional workshop on developing communications strategies. 
Modelling communication and learning techniques through engaging with an interactive and exercise-driven focus has seen great, practical results (the conception of Climate Communication Strategies for partner Meteorological Services) and received excellent feedback from partners.

It is hoped that engaging in this type of capacity development will strengthen the discourse between Pacific island peoples and those in the wider scientific community, and ultimately assist our partners in the Pacific in effectively communicating their own scientific climate information and adaptation needs.