Hydromet Gap Report launch: collaboration needed to ensure Early Warnings for All

CHDs are part of the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) support to countries, conducted by advanced national meteorological offices that serve as SOFF peer advisors and funded by SOFF. The Report is issued by the Alliance for Hydromet Development of which the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a founding member. 

Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States are experiencing devastating impacts from increasing weather, water and climate-related extreme events. 60 have collaborated through SOFF with the Alliance for Hydromet Development to identify gaps in their operations and enabling environment, and the results of the first 20 countries are captured in the report. The national hydrometeorological services provide a basis for effective climate adaptation and resilience action. “While hydromet services play a foundational role for economic prosperity and resilient development, many countries, including Cabo Verde, face substantial challenges in delivering them,” explains H.E. José Ulisses Correia e Silva Prime Minister of Cabo Verde.

“People and our planet are facing a crisis due to the intersection of inequality and climate change. This Hydromet Gap Report 2024 shows us where assistance is most needed, where political support is paramount and where the Alliance for Hydromet Development partners should focus their efforts,” says Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of WMO. The Report is launched during the 8^th SOFF Steering Committee meeting in Reykjavík, Iceland. She adds, “The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) is an innovative financing mechanism that supports countries with the most severe shortfalls in basic weather and climate observations.”