Sustainable finance
Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF)
Definition
The Systematic Observations Financing Facility is a financing mechanism created by the WMO, UNEP and UNDP (operational from 2022) that provides grant funding and technical assistance to close basic weather and climate observation gaps in developing countries, particularly small island states and least developed countries. It supports compliance with the Global Basic Observing Network standard for surface and upper-air stations — the raw data on which all weather forecasting, climate monitoring and early warning depend.
References
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Overview
How it is used
The facility structures observation investment, peer advisory from advanced meteorological services, and the data foundation for climate services and adaptation planning.
Why it matters
You cannot warn about a storm you cannot see; SOFF funds the eyes of the global early warning system.