$300M Pledge: 35 Philanthropies Unite Against Climate Crisis Impacts
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In a major push to combat the devastating effects of climate change, over 35 leading philanthropies have pledged an initial $300 million to tackle its impact on global health. The coalition, named 'The Climate and Health Funders Coalition', brings together influential donors like Bloomberg Philanthropies, Gates Foundation, and The Rockefeller Foundation to address the dual threats of climate change and its consequences on health. The coalition's focus will be on accelerating solutions, innovations, and research to combat extreme heat, air pollution, and climate-sensitive diseases such as malaria and dengue. The funds will also support the integration of critical climate and health data to strengthen resilient health systems. Climate change poses a significant risk to 3.3 billion people, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The coalition's efforts aim to address the urgent need to act on climate change, with the past decade being the warmest on record and temperatures expected to remain at or near record levels in the next five years. The pledge is part of the implementation of the Belém Health Action Plan, a landmark framework that prioritizes human health in global climate action. The plan focuses on building strong health surveillance systems, implementing proven solutions, and investing in research and technology to support vulnerable populations. According to the 2025 Lancet Countdown Report, heat-related deaths have surged 23% since the 1990s, and the global average transmission potential of dengue has risen by up to 49% since the 1950s. 'The Climate and Health Funders Coalition recognizes the need for collective action to address the gravest health threat of our time,' said Naveen Rao, Senior Vice President of Health at The Rockefeller Foundation. 'This pledge demonstrates that even in the face of global challenges, philanthropies can come together to drive meaningful change.'
