Every year, more than half a million people worldwide die from heat-related causes, prompting a group of philanthropies to invest millions of dollars in developing life-saving solutions as global temperatures rise.
The recent announcement of $US300 million ($NZ527 million) in funding at the COP30 climate negotiations in Brazil is focused on developing data and identifying the best investments to address increasing risks from extreme heat, air pollution, and infectious diseases.
Estelle Willie, the director of health policy and communications at The Rockefeller Foundation, emphasized the need for philanthropy to test and validate new solutions to combat the challenges posed by climate change.
Brazil, the host of COP30, launched the Belem Health Action Plan to promote the monitoring and coordination of climate-related health policies across various ministries and departments.
At the United Nations climate talks, Brazil is prioritizing efforts to help countries prepare for and adapt to the escalating impacts of climate change such as floods, fires, droughts, storms, and hurricanes.
The newly pledged $US300 million adds to the $US1 billion-$US2 billion being spent on researching climate-related health impacts, but experts stress that more funding is required to address the worsening situation.
According to a report in The Lancet, the annual number of deaths from heat-related causes exacerbated by climate change is estimated to be nearly 550,000, with an additional 150,000 deaths attributed to air pollution.
UN agencies have reported that over 3.3 billion people, roughly half of the world’s population, are already struggling with rising temperatures.
John-Arne Røttingen, chief executive of the Wellcome Trust, highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, older individuals, outdoor workers, and communities with limited resources.
The Climate and Health Funders Coalition, which includes funders like the Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and IKEA Foundation, aims to address these critical health challenges exacerbated by climate change.
While 27 philanthropies have joined the coalition, additional commitments are needed to effectively tackle the growing threats to global health posed by climate change.
