A dried up ground./ PHOTO ; Pexel
More than 35 major philanthropic organizations have joined forces to confront the rapidly worsening health threats linked to climate change, a crisis already affecting an estimated 3.3 billion people, particularly across low- and middle-income regions.
Through the newly formed Climate and Health Funders Coalition, the group has pledged an initial $300 million to support integrated actions that address both the drivers of climate change and the urgent health impacts emerging from it.
Announced during COP30 in Brazil, this first wave of funding will help roll out the Belém Health Action Plan, a global framework that places human health at the heart of climate action.
The Coalition brings together global, regional, and national funders committed to improving health outcomes and saving lives in communities most exposed to climate shocks.
Its founding contributors include Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Gates Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Philanthropy Asia Alliance (by Temasek Trust), and Wellcome.
“Climate change is the gravest health threat of our time, and no single organization, community, or country can tackle it alone,” says Naveen Rao, Senior Vice President of Health at The Rockefeller Foundation.
“By coming together to align our priorities and combine our resources, this coalition can accelerate solutions faster, reach more communities, and achieve greater impact. This is the power of collaboration: recognizing the urgency of the challenge and working as one to protect lives, strengthen health systems, and build resilience for communities around the world.”
Focusing Funding on the Most Urgent Health Risks
The first $300 million will prioritize efforts to advance research, policies, and practical solutions that respond to three of the most pressing climate-linked hazards: extreme heat, air pollution, and climate-sensitive infectious diseases.
Beyond that, part of the investment will go toward strengthening climate and health data systems, the evidence base needed to support resilient health systems, early warning capabilities, and life-saving interventions.
This funding push comes at a moment of heightened urgency.
The last decade has been the hottest ever recorded, and forecasts show global temperatures are likely to remain at, or near, record highs over the next five years.
Scientists warn that surpassing 1.5°C of warming could unleash more severe climate disruptions with profound consequences for human health and well-being.
Communities are already experiencing the fallout.
Rising temperatures are contributing to lethal heatwaves, worsening air pollution, nutritional challenges, maternal and newborn health risks, and expanding threats from diseases such as malaria and dengue.
Meanwhile, floods, droughts, and storms are increasingly disrupting food and water systems and putting immense pressure on already fragile health structures — with the harshest impacts felt by marginalized populations.
Evidence of a Growing Crisis
The 2025 Lancet Countdown Report on Health and Climate Change highlights the scale of the threat. According to the report:
- Heat-related deaths have increased 23% since the 1990s, reaching 546,000 annually.
- In 2024, wildfire-related air pollution caused 154,000 deaths — the highest ever recorded.
- Dengue transmission potential has surged by up to 49% since the 1950s.
“The warnings from scientists on climate change have become reality. And, it is clear that not all people are affected equally,” says John-Arne Røttingen, CEO at the Wellcome Trust.
“The impacts of rising temperatures hit the most vulnerable people hardest: children, pregnant people, older people, outdoor workers, and those communities with the least resources to respond. Every country in the world is now affected by climate change, and we need to develop and implement solutions fast to save lives and livelihoods.”
A Coordinated Blueprint for Action
To meet these growing threats, the Climate and Health Funders Coalition will work to:
- Align and scale funding toward the most urgent climate-health priorities, unlocking longer-term investments from governments, multilaterals, and the private sector.
- Set joint goals and rely on robust scientific data to guide the design, delivery, and expansion of solutions.
- Shift resources and decision-making power to frontline communities experiencing the worst climate impacts.
The timing of this funding is intended to directly enhance the rollout of the Belém Health Action Plan, which aims to build climate-resilient health systems rooted in equity and justice.
The Plan focuses on strengthening surveillance and monitoring for heat stress, disease outbreaks, and other climate-related threats; scaling proven interventions; and investing in research, technology, and infrastructure for populations facing the highest risk.
Sonia Medina, Chief Ecosystem Development Officer and Executive Director of Climate at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, underscores what is at stake.
Nearly half of the world’s children live in countries that are at extremely high risk, which they may experience through weaker healthcare systems, malnutrition, or disease. But if we, collectively, tackle health and climate in an integrated way, there’s an opportunity to improve the health of both people and the planet.”
