From Barometers to Billions: How Meteorologists Are Becoming Climate Finance Mavens

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released world-class guidance today to assist National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in mobilizing and accessing climate finance. The goal is to enhance global resilience to the effects of climate change and save lives and livelihoods.

 

Major points of the release:

1) New guidance document released: "Strengthening the Role of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services in Mobilizing Climate Finance at the National Level"

2) Highlight supporting NMHSs to play a central role in climate finance decision-making and implementation at the national level

3) Guidance offers details on channels, instruments, and the catalytic function of climate finance

4) Aims to enable NMHSs to prove their worth in science-based climate action and decision-making.

5) As part of a general WMO strategy to support projects enabling members to invest funds already available and raise new funds

 

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo underscored that nations must raise funds for climate action targets as, "The role of NMHSs as a critical actor at national level for climate finance investment planning, programming and implementation should be reinforced."

 

The guidance comes after COP29, when it was agreed that the climate finance for developing nations is to be tripled to USD 300 billion every year by 2035. WMO's new initiative will probably be instrumental in helping countries access and leverage these enhanced funds.

 

A Seychelles case study illustrates the promise of this methodology, indicating how enhanced leadership and planning by the nation's Meteorological Authority has already brought new climate finance projects. As climate change intensifies, this timely guidance from WMO is poised to be a game-changer in facilitating national weather services to drive climate finance and action globally.

 

Source: World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)