Box 5. WMO Integrated Global Observing System Data Quality Monitoring System (WDQMS

5.1 Deploying a globally coordinated approach with sustained data exchange as a measure of success

SOFF actions will be guided by an optimal and internationally agreed global

design and corresponding metrics – the GBON. GBON clearly defines countries’ international data exchange obligations for the most essential surface-based weather and climate data.

GBON metrics will guide SOFF investments. SOFF will provide the resources for beneficiary countries to close the GBON gap. In other words, GBON metrics will ensure the “right” level of investments, and SOFF will deliver these investments through an integrated and coherent intervention.

GBON compliance will constitute the measure of success. The GBON metrics and WMO’s data quality monitoring system (WDQMS, box 5) allow for an objective assessment of countries’ compliance with their obligation for the international exchange of basic surface-based observations. In other words, the success of countries and SOFF – will be measured by the amount and quality of internationally exchanged data (see section 8.4.3).

Box 5. WMO Integrated Global Observing System Data Quality Monitoring System (WDQMS)

The WDQMS webtool is a resource developed and operated by WMO together with ECMWF to monitor the routine delivery of data into WMO’s international

data exchange system. The current operational version of the webtool monitors the availability and quality of observational data based on near real-time monitoring information from the four participating global NWP centres: the German Weather Service (DWD), the ECMWF, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the United States National Centres for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Information provided by this system was used as input for the assessment of the global GBON gap. Due to the recent decline in the amount of observational data caused by the COVID-19, the average availability of data over January 2020 was used as a measure of whether a given station was reporting data internationally. The WDQMS will be the monitoring system used by WMO as the SOFF technical authority to monitor GBON compliance for the results-based finance support provided to beneficiary countries. The tool can be accessed at https://wdqms.wmo.int.

5.2 Providing innovative finance

SOFF finance will (i) be grants-only; (ii) be predictable and long-term; (iii) contribute to operations and maintenance costs; and (iv) use a results-based approach for payments.

Grant finance. SOFF will provide additional and grant-only resources to compensate for the fact that investments made in a particular country also create benefits in other countries and contribute to a global public good. This inevitably disadvantages investments in observations where the benefits reach beyond individual countries and countries benefit from observations made by other countries. Therefore, SOFF provides additional international resources beyond existing country envelopes set by development and climate finance partners. Grant-only support for SIDS and LDCs is justified by (i) the global public goods dimension of recipient countries’ contribution to GBON; (ii) their limited institutional and fiscal capacity, in particular as measured by GDP per square kilometer reflecting the surface area to be observed (figure 4); (iii) debt sustainability challenges and the rapidly unfolding post-COVID debt crisis; (iv) the high vulnerability of SIDS and LDCs to extreme weather events and impacts of climate change; and (v) the global call on all developed countries and climate finance providers to increase the level of grant finance to support the most vulnerable, in particular for adaptation (call led by the COP26 UK – Presidency).29

Predictable long-term finance. SOFF will provide long-term financial and technical support, beyond time-bound projects. The long-term nature of support and the predictability of resources will allow countries to make corresponding policy and investment decisions. For example, countries could consider establishing public-private partnerships in support of the generation and exchange of observations that require long-term engagements to be successful (see section 8.5 and annex 5 on the role of private sector)

Finance for operations and maintenance. Achieving sustained GBON compliance in SIDS and LDCs requires not only capital expenditures and short-term efforts to improve institutional capacity, e.g., resources to purchase or improve fixed assets like observations equipment and staff training, it also requires the provision of finance for operations and maintenance. SOFF will substantially contribute to cover operations and maintenance costs – in the long term and through results-based finance.

Results-based finance. SOFF will ensure that countries have the means for the sustained generation and international exchange of observational data following GBON regulations through the provision of results-based finance, i.e., payments made upon achievement of results (international exchange of observational data) (see section 8.4.3).

5.3 Enhancing technical competency and coordination

Operating and maintaining observing networks and internationally exchanging the data is a complex undertaking, in particular for countries with limited human and

institutional capacity and challenging national circumstances. SOFF will enhance beneficiary countries’ capacity by harnessing the operational experience of advanced NMHSs. These NMHSs will provide hands-on peer-to-peer technical and institutional assistance, including South-South peer support (see section 7.7).

The provision of advisory support based on the advanced NMHS will ensure the sustainability, coherence, credibility and trust of technical assistance provided

through SOFF. Advanced NMHS are WMO Members and as such have a long-term history of engagement, expertise and knowledge of WMO standards and guidelines. The provision of technical assistance through peers that are Members of WMO will facilitate standardization, coherence and coordination of SOFF technical advice across countries, regions and globally. SOFF advisory services will be institutionally anchored and backed at the highest level by the NMHS providing technical assistance. Contrary to the provision of fragmented advice through diverse consultants, peer-to-peer support will also allow continuous feedback and sustainable capacity development of both the providers of technical assistance and the benefited countries.

SOFF will provide integrated and coordinated support to strengthen countries’

basic observations capacity at the global and country level. SOFF will provide the mechanism for effective collaboration and coordination among the several scientific, financial, and operational partners involved in strengthening the weather and climate observing system in developing countries (see section 7). SOFF will bring together major partners with a clear focus on the primary links of the hydromet value chain that can only be implemented under a globally coordinated approach to succeed. SOFF will close the GBON investment gap through standardized integrated interventions with coherent procurement of equipment for each beneficiary country or sub-region. This will address the problem of multiple development and climate finance partners supporting different parts of a country’s basic observing network in a fragmented manner, relying on different vendors with interoperability challenges and requiring different spare parts.