Statement issued by European meteorological institutions and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in October 2020 in support of the creation of the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF). The statement underscores the importance of sustained, surface-based meteorological observations for improving weather forecasts, climate services, and resilience to extreme weather in LDCs and SIDS. It highlights SOFF’s role in addressing global data gaps, enabling countries to meet Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) requirements through long-term, results-based financing, and calls on European governments and international climate and development finance institutions to support SOFF as a global public good.
