Denmark, Finland and Norway announced additional contributions to the SOFF UN fund. SOFF is now capitalized with more than USD 100 million from 12 pioneer funders.
The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) has rapidly become an important vehicle to improve the foundational data that underpin all weather forecasting and climate prediction. SOFF provides long-term grant financing for essential basic weather and climate observations that are a critical but invisible ingredient for effective climate action, including the UN Secretary-General’s Early Warnings for All initiative.
On the ” Finance, Investment and Trade Day” of the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), Spain hosted the SOFF event on “sustained climate finance for systematic observation”.
The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) is a new UN climate fund – co-created by WMO, UNDP and UNEP – that supports countries in closing today’s significant weather and climate data gaps in an innovative manner, at speed and scale.
Basic systematic observation data as a global public good
Prof Michael Kremer, 2019 Nobel laureate, highlighted the importance of basic weather and climate data for many sectors, including agriculture. He said, “The generation and dissemination of high-quality weather forecasts is a cost-effective approach that could help hundreds of millions of farmers in low- and middle-income countries adopt to climate change.” He added, “Weather data from each country contributes to the accuracy of weather prediction models everywhere, so collection and dissemination of weather data is a genuine global public good. By addressing gaps in the global basic observing network through SOFF, we strengthen the predictive capacity of global and regional forecasting systems.”
Stepped-up support by SOFF initial funders
SOFF has been able to speedily take off thanks to the support of 12 initial funders that pioneered a new partnership on systematic observation with the Global South. Many of these funders have already made repeated contributions to the SOFF UN fund.
At the SOFF COP29 event, Denmark, Finland and Norway announced additional pledges. SOFF is now capitalized with more than 100 million US Dollar, mobilized over the past 2.5 years. Yet, for SOFF to achieve its financial targets and respond to high country demand, additional resources are needed.
Minister Toeolesulusulu Cedric Pose Salesa Schuster, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Lands, Samoa and chair of Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) emphasized the importance of SOFF. With already 39 Small Island Developing States benefitting from initial SOFF support, he called on the international community to provide more funding to SOFF so that countries can take full advantage of SOFF.
Funding needs to catch up with the pace of operations
A total of 101 countries have requested support from SOFF, highlighting the commitment of the Global South to deliver its share to the Global Basic Observing Network. As showcased by the SOFF Action Report 2024, published at the SOFF COP29 event, 60 countries are already receiving initial SOFF support while 18 countries have already approved investment funding, totaling to USD 115 million. Upon closing their basic observation gaps these 18 countries are expected to share 20 times the amount of weather data compared to levels before SOFF support.
