11/02/2021
Weather and climate observations underpin sustainable development, disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
The World Bank estimates that improvements in weather and climate prediction models could bring about $5 billion annual benefits in addition to the current $160 billion annual benefits from weather forecasts and climate prediction with a cost-benefit ratio of 1:26.
But there are big gaps, especially in the developing world. In Africa, observations dropped by 50 percent from 2015-20, and probably have dropped even further due to the COVID-19 crisis.
WMO's Global Basic Observing Network aims to close those gaps, and a proposed new financing mechanism - the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) - will support countries to generate and exchange observations.
It is estimated that it will take $400 million over five years to support the required infrastructure investments and capacity building.
Brookings Institution blog explains more:
http://brook.gs/2MRBsM7
