As extreme weather events become more frequent and intense because of climate change, the ability to anticipate them before they strike is crucial for saving lives and safeguarding economies. At the core of this capability lies climate information – data collected from weather stations, gauges and sensors that is then transformed into knowledge about climate trends, vulnerabilities and impacts. This knowledge forms the backbone of reliable weather forecasts, early warning systems and climate services for sectors from agriculture to healthcare. The value of climate services extends well beyond immediate alerts. Over the long term, it underpins risk-informed development and adaptation planning, by providing countries with the evidence they need to set priorities and strengthen their capacity to respond to climate change impacts. Despite this proven value, investment in climate information services and early warning systems remains far too low. Yet the case for action is clear: early warning systems are among the most cost-effective climate adaptation measures available, delivering up to a tenfold return on investment. A 24-hour warning of a storm or heatwave can reduce damage by 30 percent. An investment of US$800 million in early warning systems across developing countries could prevent annual losses of $3–$16 billion. While most countries have meteorological departments, many developing countries lack the resources, infrastructure and technical capacity to maintain modern observation networks, analyse the data they produce, and apply it effectively in early warning systems and climate policy. Established in 2021 by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), UNDP and UN Environment Programme, the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) is delivering on the Paris Agreement’s call to strengthen systematic observations by helping developing countries close critical gaps in weather and climate data. The first-of-its-kind, this specialized UN climate fund supports countries with the most severe shortfalls – Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) – with grant-based finance and peer-to-peer technical assistance. Learn more: https://climatepromise.undp.org/ciews