A new Impact Bond, led by the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), will be featured as one of the tangible innovative finance solutions in the COP30 Action Agenda. It aims to help close the critical gap in basic weather and climate observations. The news was shared this week during the COP30 Briefing to Member States and International Organizations at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva, co-organized with the Permanent Mission of Brazil and the Brazilian COP Presidency.
For WMO Secretary-General Prof. Celeste Saulo, the stakes could not be higher.
“Science is clear: extreme weather and climate change impacts are worsening. The question before us is not whether we act, but whether we act in time, together, and with the courage required,” she said. We are deeply involved in an innovative climate mechanism — the Climate Impact Bond — that we will announce at COP30, and we believe it is a foundational mechanism to help countries implement.”
Prof. Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General
She outlined three imperatives for COP30: scale up systematic observations and research; deliver adaptation and Early Warnings for All; and ensure climate finance flows with greater accountability.
Closing the observations gap
The Impact Bond speaks directly to these priorities. By combining upfront investment from impact financiers with repayment guaranteed by public and private donors, it will boost support for Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States to strengthen their basic weather and climate observation networks.
The ambition is bold: a 500 per cent increase in shared data. The payoff could be huge — US$ 5 billion in direct annual benefits unlocking up to US$ 160 billion every year across food security, energy, transport and disaster resilience.
Surface-based weather and climate data are a global public good — the invisible ingredient of every forecast, early warning and climate plan. Yet in many developing countries, the system is broken.
Innovation can’t wait
The new Impact Bond is closely aligned with the ambition of theBrazilian COP30 Presidency, Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, COP30 President-designate, underlined the urgency of advancing solutions:
“The Action Agenda will be an amazing opportunity for showing solutions. We are going to have a special event with WMO to discuss the Bond — a brilliant idea, because we need innovative instruments. We cannot continue to wait.”
Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, COP30 President-designate
His remarks reflect Brazil’s vision of COP30 as a Mutirão — a collective effort with shared outcomes. The Impact Bond embodies that spirit of cooperation by bringing governments, donors, investors and development partners together to unlock innovative climate finance.
With a target of US$ 200 million, the Impact Bond shows how, in practice, collaboration can create impact. It is vital that information about this new instrument reaches everyone who can support it — because better weather and climate data means better warnings, more resilient communities and lives saved.
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