Over 35 leading philanthropies unite to address the escalating public health crisis driven by climate change — which puts at least 3.3 billion people at risk, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The Climate and Health Funders Coalition has committed an initial $300 million for integrated action to tackle both the causes of climate change and its consequences for health – accelerating solutions where they are needed most.

The Coalition’s inaugural funding effort, announced at COP30 in Brazil, also supports the implementation of the Belém Health Action Plan — a landmark framework placing human health at the centre of global climate action.

The Coalition brings together institutional and individual funders operating at international, national and regional levels to improve health and save lives. The committed funders currently 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.

The immediate focus for the first $300 million will be to accelerate solutions, innovations, policies and research on extreme heat, air pollution and climate-sensitive infectious diseases. The funds will also strengthen the integration of critical climate and health data to support resilient health systems that protect people’s lives and livelihoods.

The Coalition recognizes the need to act with urgency. The past ten years have been the warmest on record and temperatures are expected to remain at or near record levels in the next five years. Climate and health experts have repeatedly warned that warming of more than 1.5°C risks unleashing more severe climate impacts and extreme weather with major consequences for human health.

Rising temperatures are leading to deadly heatwaves, increased air pollution, worsening nutrition, threats to maternal and newborn health, and the spread of diseases like malaria and dengue. Extreme weather events are also increasingly disrupting food and water supplies and straining health systems, especially in vulnerable regions. These impacts disproportionately affect the most marginalized, deepening existing health inequities. Without urgent action to reduce greenhouse emissions and strengthen health systems, the climate emergency will continue to escalate health risks and undermine access to care worldwide.

The 2025 Lancet Countdown Report on Health and Climate Change released in October found that:

• The rate of heat-related deaths has surged 23% since the 1990s, to 546,000 a year.
• A record 154,000 deaths were linked to air pollution from wildfire smoke in 2024.
• The global average transmission potential of dengue has risen 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.”

To tackle the escalating climate crisis and support the Belém Health Action Plan the Climate and Health Funders Coalition is:

• Aligning and expanding funding efforts to address the most urgent climate and health challenges — unlocking long-term investment from public, private, and multilateral sources.
• Setting shared goals and using robust data and science to design, implement, and scale solutions.
• Shifting funding and power to communities most affected by climate change, ensuring solutions are implemented where they are needed most.

The $300 million investment in climate and health has also been timed to provide support for the implementation of the Belém Health Action Plan which is designed to build climate-resilient health systems and priorities health equity and justice.

The Belém Health Action Plan focuses on:

• Building strong health surveillance and monitoring systems to effectively respond to climate-related threats such as disease outbreaks and extreme heat.
• Implementing proven solutions, evidence-based policies and capacity building.
• Investing in research, technology and infrastructure to support the most at-risk populations.

“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.”

“Protecting the environment is also about protecting people’s health and livelihoods,” said Antha Williams, who leads the Environment Program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “Through the Climate and Health Funders Coalition, philanthropy is coming together to move faster to cut pollution, improve lives, and make cities better places to work and live.”

Sonia Medina, Chief Ecosystem Development Officer and Executive Director Climate at the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation says: “If you’re committed to improving children’s health, you must commit to tackling climate change and limiting global temperature increase. 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.”

Steve Davis, Senior Advisor, Philanthropic Partnerships at the Gates Foundation says: “Every person should have the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life, no matter where they were born. But a hotter world with less predictable and more extreme weather is threatening that vision for the future, particularly for people in low- and middle-income countries. Philanthropy has a unique role to play in contributing flexible funding to accelerate innovative solutions that protect health and help communities build resilience to climate shocks.”

Jessica Anderen, CEO of IKEA Foundation, says: “Protecting people’s health and safeguarding our climate are inseparable goals. We are proud to stand with the Climate and Health Funders Coalition and all partners committed to accelerating innovation, empowering communities, and building a healthier, more resilient future with and for the many people.”

Jess Ayers, CEO, Quadrature Climate Foundation, says: “The health consequences of climate change are mounting, and they fall hardest on communities least equipped to respond. By supporting the Climate and Health Funders Coalition, we’re working to build health systems that are resilient, equitable, and prepared for the challenges ahead.”

“Across Asia, record-breaking temperatures are already threatening lives, livelihoods, and long-term development,” says Shaun Seow, CEO of Philanthropy Asia Alliance. “The region is home to more than half the world’s population and faces some of the highest climate-related health risks. Through the Coalition, we are backing bold solutions that protect vulnerable communities from extreme heat, build resilience, and prevent future warming. By uniting funders around this vision, Asia can adapt to a hotter future — and lead the way globally.”

Learn more about the Climate and Health Funders Coalition at: https://wellcome.org/engagement-and-advocacy/advocacy-and-partnerships/climate-health-funders-coalition.