World Meteorological Day 2022
Systematic Observations for Better Early Action On March 23 we mark the 72th recurrence of World Met Day. The climate has dramatically changed over the last 70 years as shown by the latest IPCC report. With its dire warning about the impacts of climate change on people and the planet, the report was called “a […]
Innovative finance for global weather and climate data
The Nordic Development Fund (NDF) has committed 10 million Euros to the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), a groundbreaking financing mechanism designed to ramp up the global understanding of climate change by significantly increasing the availability of essential weather and climate data. The NDF Managing Director, Ms. Karin Isaksson, welcomed the creation of SOFF and […]
UN Unveils New Finance Mechanism to Boost Climate Action
3 November 2021: On Finance Day at COP26, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) announced the creation of the Systematic Observations Finance Facility (SOFF).
This new finance mechanism will set the foundation to boost climate action globally and will contribute to achieving one of the main goals of COP26 – to urgently scale-up climate finance to support developing countries’ adaptation and mitigation efforts.
COP26: how plugging data gaps will transform our response to climate change
Just a week before the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, three of the United Nations’ leading agencies on climate and development released alarming reports.
The World Meteorological Organization has highlighted how greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2020. It found that concentrations of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere rose at a faster rate in 2020 than over the previous decade.
Three UN Agencies Announce New Financing Mechanism to Boost the International Response to Climate Change
Geneva, 28 October 2021: The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) are to announce at COP26 a new United Nations Coalition Fund to significantly improve the collection of essential weather and climate data and boost the international response to climate change.
Support grows for Systematic Observations Financing Facility
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) convened the third meeting of the forum of potential funders for the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF). Some 50 delegations representing potential bilateral, multilateral and philanthropic funders as well as observer organizations including the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Group and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the members of the Alliance for Hydromet Development joined the meeting.
Strengthening weather and climate observations: A foundational global public good
The new edition of the ‘Financing the United Nations Development System’ report features the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) as an innovative financing mechanism designed to provide a foundational global public good: basic weather and climate observations.
Hydromet Investments save lives and make economic sense
First Hydromet Gap Report calls for scaled-up action
Geneva, 8 July 2021 (WMO) – An estimated 23,000 lives per year could be saved potential annual benefits of at least US$ 162 billion could be realized by improving weather forecasts, early warning systems, and climate information – known as hydromet, according to a new report.
The first Hydromet Gap Report, launched on 8 July, tells us how far we have to go to tap the benefits of effective weather and climate services. It presents the challenges of the complex global and local undertaking required and proposes priority actions to scale up support to developing countries to strengthen their capacity
Secretary-General’s video remarks at launch of the First Hydromet Gap Report
I am pleased to welcome the first Hydromet Gap report.
I thank the 13 member organizations of the Alliance for Hydromet Development for highlighting the urgent need to close the capacity gap on high-quality weather forecasts, early warning systems and climate information. This is essential for building resilience in the face of climate change. Frightening heatwaves and other climate events emphasize our growing crisis.
Global observing system needs sustainable investments
More than 100 participants representing 28 potential funders and 21 observer institutions attended the second funders’ forum of the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) on the 28th of June to advance discussions on on the timeline and costs and benefits.
he forum built on the discussions of the first funders’ forum, and addressed key issues that delegations raised during the first forum and in subsequent consultations. It focused on clarifying the critical role of observations in the meteorological value chain and the SOFF value proposition; the proposed institutional and operational arrangements; and the roadmap to COP26 and beyond.