The collaboration aims to enhance the NEA Meteorological Services Division's climate science capability to produce reliable projections of Singapore's rainfall, temperature, wind and sea level for different time-scales up to 2100.

The collaboration is expected to last for at least three year, covering the joint development and implementation of climate models, the exchange of scientists and the undertaking of regional climate science research. This long-term partnership is an important step towards building a sustainable climate science capability in Southeast Asia.

Mr John Hirst, Met Office Chief Executive said: "I am delighted to have signed this agreement. The UK Met Office and the Singapore National Environment Agency have a mutual interest in continually improving the scientific understanding and modelling of climate in order to inform decision making around our changing climate."

Mr Andrew Tan, NEA CEO, said: "We are pleased to secure the expertise of the UK Met Office Hadley Centre. Through the MOU, NEA will be able to enhance its climate science capabilities, in line with its efforts to reposition the Singapore Meteorological Service as the national weather and climate authority.

"The signing of the MOU also signifies the commitment of the NEA and the UK Met Office to advance the scientific understanding of the climate of Southeast Asia, including better prediction of the El Nino and La Nina phenomena, the monsoons and tropical convective systems, all of which have an important bearing on the weather and climate of Singapore and the region, as well as the global climate system."

This latest agreement with Singapore follows a number of partnerships and collaborations for the Met Office, both in the UK and internationally. For example, the Met Office is also working with

• The Department for International Development and African stakeholders to improve the understanding and practical predication of African climate change in order to help alleviate poverty.
• A cluster of leading UK universities to advance the science and skill of weather and climate prediction.
• The National Environment Research Council in the Joint Weather and Climate Research Programme which aims to grow the UK's leading role in weather and climate research.
• Global national meteorological services and research institutes including in Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, Norway, India and South Africa who collaborate on the use and development of the Met Office Unified Model, used for weather and climate forecasting.