Apr 15, 2021
Effective climate information services are critical for countries to be able to prepare for extreme weather events and respond to mitigate their impact. Yet developing countries (in particular Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States) face serious shortfalls in their capacity to carry out climate observations, which has a devastating impact on the lives and livelihoods of their inhabitants. This also has knock-on effects for the rest of the world as it undermines the quality and reliability of global forecasts.
The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) was recently launched at a virtual event. It is spearheaded by the World Meteorological Organization in collaboration with a wide range of international organizations, including the members of the Alliance for Hydromet Development, which the Climate Investment Funds joined in October 2020. The SOFF aims to provide technical and financial assistance to countries to generate and exchange basic observational data.
The Facility is a collaboration between major international development, humanitarian and climate finance institutions to improve weather, climate, hydrological and related environmental information services. The Climate Investment Funds (CIF) recognises the importance of improving weather observation and took part in the launch event for SOFF last month. The overarching objective of all involved in these initiatives is to close the capacity gap on hydromet services by 2030.
Mafalda Duarte, Head of the CIF, said: “Only by taking the pulse of our entire planet can we deliver the accuracy to predict the risks and future impacts climate change may bring, allowing us to react with the appropriate response. Well-functioning weather and climate information services are necessary to effectively manage the risks associated with an uncertain and warming climate and build resilient economies and communities. However, the developing countries who bear the greatest burden of the impacts of climate change are also the ones facing capacity constraints to produce timely and accurate forecasts, early warnings, and climate projections.”
“At the moment there are severe gaps in the observing system, especially in Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Islands and in some parts of Latin America,” said Professor Petteri Taalas, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization. “This means that the quality of the early warning services is poorer and has a negative impact on weather forecasts worldwide.”
