IDB and UNDP Partner to Enhance Climate Data Sharing in Latin America and the Caribbean

As one of the first Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to access a UN-administered Multi-Partner Trust Fund, this partnership exemplifies the ongoing collaboration between MDBs and UN agencies.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have entered into a significant agreement aimed at improving the collection and sharing of critical climate and weather data. This collaboration will bolster efforts to support climate adaptation and enhance regional climate coordination across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Under this agreement, the IDB gains access to financing through the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), which provides essential funding and technical assistance to countries for improving weather forecasts, early warning systems, and climate information services. As one of the first Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to access a UN-administered Multi-Partner Trust Fund, this partnership exemplifies the ongoing collaboration between MDBs and UN agencies.

SOFF, established in 2021 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and UNDP, is designed to support the collection and dissemination of critical weather and climate data globally, targeting countries with significant data gaps, particularly Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

The IDB will initially implement the SOFF program in Belize, backed by a grant of over $800,000, before expanding to projects in The Bahamas, Barbados, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts & Nevis, and Trinidad & Tobago.

This initiative aligns with the IDB’s strategy on Biodiversity, Natural Capital, and Climate Action, reinforcing regional efforts such as América en el Centro and One Caribbean. The enhanced weather data and capacity-building initiatives will facilitate climate adaptation, strengthen regional coordination, and reduce vulnerability to climate change across these nations.

The IDB played a pivotal role in designing SOFF, collaborating with WMO, UNEP, and UNDP, alongside other MDBs, to ensure that the mechanism meets the specific needs of its member countries. IDB President Ilan Goldfajn emphasized that the partnership with SOFF will enhance countries’ preparedness and resilience to climate change, setting a precedent for other MDBs to engage with SOFF.

Prof. Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the WMO, highlighted the critical importance of addressing data gaps for vulnerable countries, while UN-MPTF Office Executive Coordinator Alain Noudéhou expressed optimism that this agreement will facilitate additional resources towards closing the basic weather and climate observations data gap, ultimately supporting global development priorities and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).