Global Philanthropies Commit $300 Million to Accelerate Climate and Health Solutions

In a landmark move to address the escalating public health crisis driven by climate change, more than 35 leading global philanthropies have announced a historic commitment of $300 million to accelerate integrated solutions across climate and health. The initiative, launched under the Climate and Health Funders Coalition, aims to confront the growing threats posed by extreme heat, air pollution, and climate-sensitive infectious diseases—risks now facing at least 3.3 billion people worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

The announcement was made at COP30 in Brazil and supports the implementation of the Belém Health Action Plan, a pivotal framework that places human health at the centre of global climate action.

Major Philanthropies Unite for Climate & Health

The Climate and Health Funders Coalition brings together a powerful global network of institutional and individual donors, including:

• Bloomberg Philanthropies

• Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

• IKEA Foundation

• Quadrature Climate Foundation

• The Rockefeller Foundation

• Philanthropy Asia Alliance (by Temasek Trust)

• Wellcome Trust

Through collective action, the coalition aims to strengthen public health systems, advance climate adaptation, and mobilize long-term investments from public, private, and multilateral partners.

Priority Areas for the First $300 Million

The inaugural commitment will be directed toward:

• Advancing policies, technologies, and innovations to counter extreme heat

• Addressing air pollution, including wildfire-related emissions

• Reducing the spread of climate-sensitive infectious diseases such as malaria and dengue

• Supporting integration of climate and health data to enable more resilient health systems

• Empowering vulnerable communities by shifting funding and decision-making power to the local level

• The coalition emphasizes urgency, noting that the last decade has been the warmest on record, with temperatures expected to remain dangerously high in the next five years.

Urgent Warnings from Global Health Experts

The 2025 Lancet Countdown Report released in October underscored the rapid escalation of health risks:

• Heat-related deaths have increased by 23% since the 1990s, now reaching 546,000 annually.

• Wildfire smoke caused a record 154,000 deaths in 2024 due to air pollution.

• Dengue’s global transmission potential has surged by up to 49% since the 1950s.

• Rising temperatures are also worsening nutrition levels, endangering maternal and newborn health, and increasing the frequency and severity of natural disasters that disrupt essential services.

Leaders Call for United Global Action

John-Arne Røttingen, CEO of Wellcome Trust, highlighted that climate impacts fall hardest on the most vulnerable—children, pregnant people, the elderly, and communities with limited resources.

“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,” he said.

Naveen Rao, Senior Vice President of Health at The Rockefeller Foundation, emphasized the power of collaboration: “This coalition can accelerate solutions faster, reach more communities, and achieve greater impact.”

Antha Williams of Bloomberg Philanthropies noted that protecting the environment is inseparable from protecting human health and livelihoods.

Leaders from CIFF, the Gates Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, and Philanthropy Asia Alliance echoed their shared commitment to safeguarding vulnerable populations and building climate-resilient health systems.

About the Belém Health Action Plan

The Belém Health Action Plan is designed to:

• Build strong climate-linked health surveillance systems

• Strengthen capacities for early response to outbreaks and extreme weather

• Implement proven, evidence-based policies

• Invest in research, technology, and infrastructure to protect at-risk populations

• The coalition’s $300 million funding aligns with and reinforces these global goals.

About the Participating Philanthropies

Brief overviews of Bloomberg Philanthropies, CIFF, Gates Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Philanthropy Asia Alliance highlight their missions and global impact across public health, climate action, and social development.

The writer of this article is Dr. Seema Javed, an environmentalist & a communications professional in the field of climate and energy