Long-term climate analysis and predication are essential for climate mitigation and climate adaptation. The earth’s weather and climate systems are globally interlinked – today’s weather in one location will influence the weather elsewhere on the planet, which is why investment in improved weather observation capacity in the Pacific Islands will have global benefits. As such, national weather observations that are shared globally represent a global public good (GPG), while improving observations in locations that fall short of the Global Basic Observation Network (GBON) will have considerable significance.

This article sets out the benefits of the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), which would enable least-developed countries and small island developing states to become GBON compliant. SOFF aims to address shortcomings in weather data and improve access by demonstrating that better weather data means better development and climate outcomes, and that better data for improved weather and climate prediction represent an essential GPG.