ECMWF at the United Nations COP27 Climate Change Conference

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ECMWF at COP27

World leaders will gather in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El-Sheikh at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) from 6 to 18 November 2022 to reaffirm their commitment to accelerated climate action.

ECMWF is making a wide-ranging contribution to this year’s Conference, joining high-level interventions at the UN-led Earth Information Day and an event on the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF). We are also involved in side events for the European Union’s Copernicus programme and Destination Earth initiative.

All events can be watched online. Times given are Egypt local time (UTC+2).

Strengthening the data foundation for effective climate finance – the Systematic Observations Financing Facility

On the COP27 Finance Day, ECMWF Director-General Florence Rabier and Director of Forecasts Florian Pappenberger will join a high-level event presenting the SOFF, a new financing mechanism to address the long-standing problem of missing weather and climate observations from Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

Weather and climate data are critical for making effective decisions and investments in all sectors. However, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), less than 10% of required basic weather and climate observations are available from Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries. Recent IPCC reports also highlight the persistent limitations of information for a number of countries where significant data gaps remain.

The event presents the newly established Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF). By strengthening the underpinning data for weather forecasts and climate services, including early warnings, SOFF will improve the capacity of the most vulnerable countries to predict and adapt to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts and heatwaves.

Speakers will discuss implications of existing gaps, the socio-economic value of closing them and the challenges that developing countries have encountered so far. It will also be an opportunity for new funders to make announcements of financial contributions to the SOFF UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund.

Florence Rabier Florian Pappenberger 

Closing the weather and climate data gap for effective economic decision-making

ECMWF Director of Forecasts Florian Pappenberger joins this session, co-hosted by the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action and the World Meteorological Organization, which will bring finance ministers and the scientific community together for the first time at a COP to discuss how finance ministries can make better use of weather and climate data, and how the data gap can be addressed.

They will also consider the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), developed to help address the serious data gaps that severely affect the quality of weather and climate prediction globally and that undermine the effectiveness of climate-related decision making.

Copernicus services: science at the heart of climate action

In our role as entrusted entity for the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), we are organising several side events highlighting the wealth of Earth observation data provided by CAMS and C3S and its applications.

Lead scientists from both services will discuss examples of Copernicus data in action, the Copernicus contribution to the CO2 Monitoring and Verification Support Capacity, and collaboration between the services and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), with a focus on health and cultural heritage preservation.

Full details are available at Copernicus at COP27: science at the heart of climate action.

Carlo Buontempo Richard Engelen Stijn Vermoote

  • ECMWF speakers: Carlo Buontempo, Director of C3S; Richard Engelen, Deputy Director of CAMS; Stijn Vermoote, Head of User Engagement
  • 8–11 November:
    • Copernicus: Data-driven solutions for decision-making and action
    • Supporting nations – The global stocktake and CO2 monitoring and verification
    • Cultural heritage and climate risk: Putting Copernicus Earth observation data to work in the Mediterranean region
    • Health and climate risk: Putting Copernicus Earth observation data to work in the Mediterranean region
    • UNFCCC Earth Information Day
    • Systematic observation of greenhouse gases to support climate action in cities and regions
    • From needs to action: Overcoming adaptation investment barriers in Africa
  • EU Pavilion; full event details: C3S COP27 event page

Destination Earth: Earth’s digital twin to support greener policies for a greener future

The European Commission’s Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) is hosting an event at COP27 on its flagship initiative, Destination Earth, exploring its future role in empowering society to make better, data-driven decisions to mitigate the impact of climate and environmental change.  

The online event, ‘Destination Earth: Earth’s digital twin to support greener policies for a greener future’, features key speakers from each of the three entrusted entities (ECMWF, ESA, EUMETSAT). ECMWF’s Science Lead for Destination Earth, Irina Sandu, will present the Digital Twin Engine (DTE) and the first two digital twins, ‘Weather-Induced Extremes’ and ‘Climate Change Adaptation’, and will take part in an interactive question and answer session with members of the online audience. 

Irina Sandu