The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to legally establish the Systematic Observations Finance Facility (SOFF) as a UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund. SOFF will address the problem of missing weather and climate observations from Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

SOFF will seek to fill data gaps that limit our understanding of the climate, and to thereby enhance capacity to predict and adapt to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heatwaves. It is expected that, by filling data gaps in LDCs and SIDS, all countries will be able to make better weather forecasts and early warning systems and climate information globally will be enhanced.

Initial financial support for SOFF has been provided by a group of countries and organizations, including Denmark, Norway, Nordic Development Fund, Austria, and Portugal.

SOFF is expected to begin operations in June 2022. During its first three years, SOFF will support 55 countries to close the weather and climate observation gap, including rehabilitation or establishment of up to 400 data-gathering stations. 

SOFF was announced on 3 November 2021, during Finance Day at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP 26). [Press Release on SOFF launch] [SOFF website]