The Collective MindS Climate x Health Council, led by Foundation S and the Africa-Europe Foundation publish a new report From Risk to Resilience: Unlocking Climate and Health Finance for Local Health Adaptation. The report serves as a blueprint for action for world leaders coming out of the UN Summit of the Future, held on 22-23 September, to accelerate sustainable development goals by bridging siloes in climate and health.
With estimates suggesting that climate change could cause at least 21 million additional deaths by 2050 and, in an effort to respond to citizen concerns and address funding gaps, the new report outlines concrete steps to adapt to the health impacts of climate change, strengthen the resilience of healthcare systems and protect lives by facilitating rapid, flexible funding for locally led health adaptation.
Despite the urgency, financing for locally led health adaptation remains inadequate. Current funding for climate adaptation stands at only $21 billion annually – 15 times less than the estimated need of $387 billion. Health adaptation in particular, is neglected with 0.5% of multilateral climate funding directed towards human health and only 10% of global climate finance reaching local levels.
Local actors are crucial in driving adaptation efforts, given their deep understanding of local climate-related health risks and their ability to tailor solutions to community needs. To address challenges, the report identifies three priorities to overcome barriers and fast-track flexible finance for locally led health adaptation.
The report complements the release of a new research survey commissioned by Foundation S, Sanofi’s philanthropic organisation, revealing that health impacts of climate change are at the top of citizens’ concerns – 9 in 10 respondents from Brazil, France, India, Kenya and the US believe that more investment is needed to protect people from these effects.
In Kenya, 96% of respondents expressed that concerns about the health impact of climate change are higher than concerns about the effects of war, geopolitical instability, and global economic pressures. Moreover, at least three quarters of citizens living in the Global South think their health has already been impacted by climate change (India: 82%, Brazil: 75%, Kenya: 75%).
As leaders convene at the 79th UN General Assembly in New York and as we’ve entered the biggest election year in history, the research represents a warning sign from global citizens to leaders. The message is clear: put the climate-health nexus at the forefront of finance priorities.
“Climate change is not just an environmental issue; it is a health crisis that affects us all. Our research highlights a clear demand from the global public for urgent action. We must prioritize investments in building healthcare systems that are both climate-proofed and resilient to protect the most vulnerable populations and ensure a resilient future for all. Now is the time for bold leadership and decisive action.” – Vanina Laurent-Ledru, Director General of Foundation S.
“People across our societies are the first to recognise how climate change is having profound impacts on health, economies and overall equity. Today, with the launch of our report, we are providing an operational blueprint for collective action that cuts across siloed sectors of cooperation, unlocks investment in health systems and – critically – protects the lives of the most vulnerable. As the report makes clear, the cost of inaction is greater than the cost of action.” – Paul Walton, Executive Director of the Africa-Europe Foundation.