SOFF Showcased at UN Financing for Development Conference in Sevilla
Sevilla, Spain, 2 July 2025. At the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), Heads of State, Ministers of finance, UN and development bank heads, aimed to advance practical ways to close the SDG financing gap, focusing on debt, investment, and multilateral reform. The main message from the Conference was to urgently scale up public and private finance, including tripling development bank lending, expanding blended finance, and improving debt solutions so that all countries can achieve the 2030 Agenda.
In this context, the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) presented its plans to scale up innovative finance for a global public good – basic weather and climate data.
During a side event titled “Scaling Up Financing for Early Warnings”, SOFF was spotlighted as an example of how the envisioned SOFF Impact Bond and global partnerships can unlock sustainable investment in Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries. The session drew a diverse audience of policymakers, donors, multilateral agencies, and civil society representatives committed to advancing the UN Secretary-General’s Early Warnings for All initiative.
“Basic weather and climate observations are a global public good. Yet too many regions still lack the data to improve forecasts. This is needed to protect lives and livelihoods,” said Thomas Asare, WMO Assistant Secretary-General, in his opening remarks. “With the SOFF Impact Bond, we aim to change that by aligning sustainable finance with the urgent need for systematic observations.”
A New Chapter in Climate Finance
The event, moderated by Alain Noudehou, Executive Director of the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, highlighted the innovative approach SOFF is pursuing through the structuring of an Impact Bond, aiming at mobilizing private and public capital for a cause with global implications. As climate impacts intensify, timely, accurate, and reliable observational data has never been more critical.
Daniel Kull, WMO Director of Development Partnerships, laid out the vision and architecture of the Impact Bond. “This is not just about financing meteorological infrastructure,” he stated. “It’s about investing in a global public good with long-term impact. The SOFF Impact Bond enables countries to generate and share data that benefits everyone, especially the most vulnerable.”
Global Voices, Shared Priorities
A dynamic panel discussion featured perspectives from across the development and climate landscape, including, Malena Rosman, Director, Nordic Development Fund, and Ambassador Carlos Fuller, representing the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). Speakers emphasized the Bond’s potential to accelerate progress on the Paris Agreement and the Convention. Ambassador Fuller highlighted the disproportionate vulnerability of Small Island Developing States and stressed the importance of SOFF’s speedy support and ease of delivery, as well as the benefits of technical assistance provided by SOFF Peer Advisors.
A Call to Action
The session concluded with a powerful call to action by the SOFF Steering Committee Co-Chairs. Heidy Rombouts, Director General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid of Belgium, and Thomas Asare, urged partners to support the SOFF Impact Bond and consider joining the initiative as a structuring and contributing partner.
“Belgium as co-chair of SOFF will actively help drive this effort,” said Rombouts. “The SOFF Impact Bond exemplifies how innovation and cooperation can bridge systemic gaps and create lasting solutions for global public good.”
The event marked another milestone for SOFF, demonstrating that with the right partnerships and financial instruments, it is possible to scale up collecting and internationally exchanging basic weather and climate data, create a global public good, and support delivery of global early warning commitments.
As momentum builds towards COP30, the SOFF Impact Bond is expected to become a contribution to scale up climate finance to $1.3 trillion a year – as a concrete example of what effective and inclusive climate finance can achieve.
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