IDB and UNDP Partner to Enhance Climate Data Collection and Strengthen Regional Climate Resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has recently formed a strategic partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at improving climate and weather data collection and sharing. This collaboration is set to boost climate adaptation efforts and foster better regional climate coordination across Latin America and the Caribbean. A key component of this initiative is the IDB’s access to funding through the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF). SOFF provides both financial support and technical assistance to help countries enhance their weather forecasting capabilities, early warning systems, and climate information services.

The first country to benefit from this partnership is Belize, where the IDB will roll out the SOFF program with an initial grant of more than US$800,000, as approved by the SOFF steering committee. Following this initial implementation, similar projects are planned for several other nations, including the Bahamas, Barbados, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago.

IDB President Ilan Goldfajn highlighted the importance of the SOFF partnership, noting that it will improve the availability of critical data for environmental and climate monitoring. “By generating essential data, this collaboration with SOFF will significantly enhance countries’ preparedness and resilience to the growing challenges posed by climate change,” Goldfajn said. He also emphasized the IDB’s leadership in encouraging other multilateral development banks (MDBs) to leverage SOFF funding and explore further collaboration with UNDP-administered funds.

Professor Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and co-chair of the SOFF Steering Committee, stressed the importance of addressing data gaps, particularly for countries most vulnerable to climate impacts. “Many of these countries lack the fundamental observational data needed for effective weather and climate prediction,” Saulo explained. “This deficiency has far-reaching consequences, affecting both local forecasts and global climate responses. SOFF is a prime example of how swift and scalable action can fill this critical gap.”

The program also complements several of the IDB’s regional initiatives, such as America en el Centro and One Caribbean, by mobilizing resources and fostering cooperation among nations. SOFF is funded by a diverse group of donors, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Nordic Development Fund, Norway, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, and the United States.

SOFF is structured around three key phases: the Readiness Phase, which provides technical assistance to evaluate data gaps and create National Contribution Plans; the Investment Phase, which supports the establishment or upgrading of surface land and upper-air stations, along with capacity-building initiatives; and the Compliance Phase, which offers results-based financing and peer advisory to ensure that data-sharing stations meet Global Basic Observing Network (GBON) standards.

The IDB has played an integral role in the development of SOFF, working closely with the WMO, UNEP, UNDP, and other MDBs to ensure the program is aligned with the needs of its member countries, thus paving the way for more robust and coordinated climate action across the region.