Over 35 of the world’s leading philanthropies yesterday announced a $300 million commitment to tackle the rapidly worsening health impacts of climate change, in what is being described as one of the strongest global funding alignments yet on climate and health.
The announcement, made at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, forms the inaugural investment of the newly formed Climate and Health Funders Coalition, a body uniting major global funders to accelerate solutions for the 3.3 billion people already at risk from climate-driven health threats, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
The coalition’s first tranche of funding will support the implementation of the Belém Health Action Plan, a new global framework that places human health at the centre of climate action.
The $300 million will be directed to extreme heat, air pollution, climate-sensitive infectious diseases, and the integration of climate and health data to strengthen fragile health systems.
The funders include Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, Gates Foundation, IKEA Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Philanthropy Asia Alliance, and Wellcome.
The urgency of the investment reflects a cascade of warnings from scientists and global health experts. The 2025 Lancet Countdown Report shows:
A 23% rise in heat-related deaths since the 1990s, now totalling 546,000 annually.
154,000 deaths linked to wildfire smoke pollution in 2024, the highest ever recorded.
A 49% surge in global dengue transmission potential since the 1950s.
Beyond deaths, climate change is fuelling worsening nutrition, maternal and newborn risks, and rapid spread of diseases such as malaria and dengue. Extreme weather is disrupting food and water supply chains and stretching health systems, especially in regions with the least capacity to cope.
John-Arne Røttingen, CEO of Wellcome Trust, said the poorest and most vulnerable are bearing the harshest burden: “Children, pregnant people, older people and outdoor workers are being hit first and worst. Every country is now affected. We need solutions fast to save lives and livelihoods.”
To confront the challenge, the coalition says it is aligning funding efforts, adopting common goals, and shifting resources directly to the communities most affected. It also aims to unlock long-term investment from governments, private sector actors and multilateral institutions.
Naveen Rao, Senior Vice President of Health at The Rockefeller Foundation, said no country or organisation can respond alone. “By coming together, this coalition can accelerate solutions faster, reach more communities and deliver greater impact.”
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Antha Williams added: “Protecting the environment is also protecting people’s health. We are moving faster to cut pollution, improve lives and make cities safer.”
For the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, the link between climate and children’s health is undeniable. “Nearly half of the world’s children live in extremely high-risk countries,” said Executive Director Sonia Medina. “If we tackle both health and climate together, we can protect children now and for generations.”
Other partners echoed the need for coordinated responses.
Gates Foundation’s Steve Davis said philanthropy’s flexible funding can help communities build resilience.
IKEA Foundation CEO Jessica Anderen described climate and health as “inseparable goals.”
Quadrature Climate Foundation CEO Jess Ayers warned that communities least equipped to respond are facing mounting health risks.
Philanthropy Asia Alliance’s Shaun Seow said Asia, home to over half the world’s population, is already facing record-breaking heat and severe climate-linked health threats.
The Belém Health Action Plan, which the new funding will support, seeks to build climate-resilient health systems, strengthen surveillance, expand research and technology, and prioritise justice and equity for at-risk populations.
As the world leaves COP30 with heightened urgency, the coalition says its commitment marks only the beginning of a long-term global push to place health at the centre of climate action, before the impact becomes irreversible.