Hosted by the Government of Ireland in Dublin, the 11th SOFF Steering Committee was held earlier this month, with decisions taken at the meeting that will extend the SOFF’s first implementation period until June 2027, and that will further develop the SOFF Impact Bond, envisioned to mobilize up to US$200m.
Extension of the SOFF first implementation period
The decision to extend the SOFF’s first implementation period until June 2027 was made to maintain momentum and close weather and climate data gaps to enable better forecasts and early warning systems.
Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General and SOFF co-chair, highlighted, “We are not only building weather and climate data infrastructure. We are building equity, trust and resilience. That takes time. The extension of SOFF’s First Implementation Period reflects this reality.”
Green light for innovative finance
To meet high country demand and unlock stalled investments, the committee also advanced the development of the SOFF Impact Bond. This will become a complementary climate finance vehicle envisioned to mobilize up to US$200m through a mix of public, private and philanthropic capital to support the Paris Agreement goals, including systematic observation globally.
The bond is expected to be announced at COP30. It will front-load investments to meet the urgent needs of countries and establish a scalable model for delivering a foundational global public good – basic weather and climate observation data.
First mover and contribution to make Impact bond a reality
The Nordic Development Fund announced a booster grant to support the development of the SOFF Impact Bond. Following two previous contributions to the SOFF UN fund, this marks a strong vote of confidence in SOFF’s innovative financing direction.
Looking ahead – new co-chair representing funders
Additionally, the SOFF Steering Committee welcomed a new co-chair. From July 1, 2025, Ambassador Willem van de Voorde, Special envoy of Belgium for Climate and Environment Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, will co-chair the committee along the WMO’s Saulo.
In related news, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Meteorological Organization’s Systemic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) have launched a five-year project to modernize Chad’s meteorological network, improve weather forecasts and anticipate the consequences of climate events in the country. Click here to read the full story
