Three United Nations bodies will unveil the fund at CoP26 in Glasgow November 3
The data gaps in the past and current climate points have hampered the world’s capacity to predict future climate scenarios as well as fight climate change. Now, a United Nations Coalition Fund is set to significantly change it: The new financing mechanism will help collect essential weather and climate data, thereby bolstering international response to the climate crisis.
Three United Nations bodies — World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) — will announce the fund at the upcoming 26th session of the Conference of Parties (CoP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at Glasgow, Scotland.
The details of the fund will be unveiled November 3, 2021.
Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), spearheaded by the WMO along with other international organisations, will fill the data gaps that plague our understanding and projections of climate change.
At #COP26 @WMO, @UNDP and @UNEP will announce the Systematic Observations Finance Facility (SOFF) to improve collection of essential weather and climate data, boost resilience to extreme weather and support #ClimateAction #TogetherForOurPlanet https://t.co/xFHjaLcnHA pic.twitter.com/EwF3L3k6Z7
— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) October 28, 2021
The SOFF will build capacity in 75 Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries over the next 10 years to enable them to generate and exchange essential weather and climate data, according to WMO.
Petteri Taalas, WMO secretary-general, said:
“We have major data gaps in our observing systems in Africa, the Caribbean and Pacific islands and some parts of Latin America. Those countries are not able to provide high-quality early warning services because they don’t have enough input data for the forecast models.”
The SOFF is a win-win for all, said Achim Steiner, administrator, UNDP. He said vulnerable communities are among the hardest hit in extreme weather and climate events, which are only increasing in frequency, intensity and severity as a result of climate change.
“To help address this, they need access to the very best of technology to adapt to the effects of climate change and reduce risk,” he added.
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