It is perhaps surprising that questions about the true “why” of climate action are only now coming to the forefront. As climate change speeds up, its effects on human health are becoming hard to ignore. Yet what better measurement of success do we have than the health of human beings alongside the natural and built environment needed for us to thrive?
But here we are. Rising temperatures, changing disease patterns, and extreme weather events are putting enormous pressure on health systems worldwide, turning them into the frontline of climate change.
India, May-June 2024: In Rajasthan's Churu region, temperatures soared to 50.5°C as part of an unprecedented heatwave across northern and western India. The extreme heat triggered at least 219 deaths and over 40,000 heatstroke cases, overwhelming hospitals and clinics across states including Odisha and Delhi. Among the casualties were 33 government election workers on duty. Hospitals struggled to admit and treat the surge of heat-related cases while simultaneously grappling with power outages and water shortages. This crisis paralyzed patient care and stretched emergency services beyond their breaking point.
Bolivia, 2023: Santa Cruz faced its worst dengue fever outbreak since the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 7,000 people fell ill within months, with at least 26 deaths—mostly children. Hospitals ran out of beds, forcing children to sleep in corridors while awaiting admission. Paediatricians reported treating overwhelming numbers of critically ill patients. This surge exposed severe gaps in disease monitoring, vector control, and surge capacity, completely inundating the regional health system.
Tennessee, September 2024: Hurricane Helene's flash flooding completely surrounded Unicoi County Hospital in eastern Tennessee. Built in a known floodplain, the facility was inundated with up to 12 feet of water, stranding patients, staff, and visitors inside. Over 50 people required helicopter rescue from the hospital roof as rapidly rising waters made ground-based evacuation impossible. The catastrophic damage forced surgical evacuations, postponed critical care, eliminated emergency services access, and closed the facility entirely.
In the context of climate change and health, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), comprising 85 per cent of the world’s population, are facing the worst of this pressure.
Despite this, only around 0.5 per cent of multilateral climate funding is currently allocated to health projects. This needs to change. For climate finance to be fair, effective, and truly focused on people, it must provide clear support for climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems in LMICs.
Health systems are not just passive responders to climate shocks but serve as essential infrastructure. In countries like Sri Lanka, health facilities are already struggling with heatwaves, floods, and disruptions in supply chains. Many rural clinics lack reliable electricity, clean water, or early warning systems.
Investing in climate-responsive health systems brings many benefits:
This is not just about public health; it also makes sense economically and environmentally. Ultimately, if health matters, this is what needs to happen.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Adaptation Fund, other multilateral funds, multilateral development banks, and other relevant actors must clearly identify and report health-related spending within climate adaptation and resilience-building. Transparency and accountability in health investment tracking are essential.
In addition, issues related to access to these funding sources must be addressed. In many LMICs, for example, health ministries do not have the legal or technical ability to apply for major funds. This needs to change. Health actors must be seen as important climate stakeholders.
Then there is the matter of implementation. While many countries have created national health and climate strategies, they lack the funding to carry them out. Financing must support facilities, training, technologies, and monitoring.
If examples are needed on where to begin, bilateral and regional efforts are a starting point. There has been a notable increase in the share of bilateral climate finance directed to the health sector, rising from 1 per cent in 2018 to about 9 per cent in 2022. South-South learning and the support of existing local success stories could help to further strengthen health systems at the local and national level.
At the upcoming COP30 in Brazil in November 2025, negotiators and funders must see health as not just a co-benefit, but as a cornerstone of climate action as well as climate finance. Climate-resilient health systems save lives, reduce inequality, and ground adaptation in human dignity. Health is the “why” at the heart of everything; let’s fund it like it matters.
SLYCAN Trust is a non-profit think tank. It has been a registered legal entity in the form of a trust since 2016, and a guarantee limited company since 2019. The entities focus on the thematic areas of climate change, adaptation and resilience, sustainable development, environmental conservation and restoration, social justice, and animal welfare. SLYCAN Trust’s activities include legal and policy research, education and awareness creation, capacity building and training, and implementation of ground level action. SLYCAN Trust aims to facilitate and contribute to multi-stakeholder driven, inclusive and participatory actions for a sustainable and resilient future for all.
It is perhaps surprising that questions about the true “why” of climate action are only now coming to the forefront. As climate change speeds up, its effects on human health are becoming hard to ignore. Yet what better measurement of success do we have than the health of human beings alongside the natural and built environment needed for us to thrive?
But here we are. Rising temperatures, changing disease patterns, and extreme weather events are putting enormous pressure on health systems worldwide, turning them into the frontline of climate change.
India, May-June 2024: In Rajasthan's Churu region, temperatures soared to 50.5°C as part of an unprecedented heatwave across northern and western India. The extreme heat triggered at least 219 deaths and over 40,000 heatstroke cases, overwhelming hospitals and clinics across states including Odisha and Delhi. Among the casualties were 33 government election workers on duty. Hospitals struggled to admit and treat the surge of heat-related cases while simultaneously grappling with power outages and water shortages. This crisis paralyzed patient care and stretched emergency services beyond their breaking point.
Bolivia, 2023: Santa Cruz faced its worst dengue fever outbreak since the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 7,000 people fell ill within months, with at least 26 deaths—mostly children. Hospitals ran out of beds, forcing children to sleep in corridors while awaiting admission. Paediatricians reported treating overwhelming numbers of critically ill patients. This surge exposed severe gaps in disease monitoring, vector control, and surge capacity, completely inundating the regional health system.
Tennessee, September 2024: Hurricane Helene's flash flooding completely surrounded Unicoi County Hospital in eastern Tennessee. Built in a known floodplain, the facility was inundated with up to 12 feet of water, stranding patients, staff, and visitors inside. Over 50 people required helicopter rescue from the hospital roof as rapidly rising waters made ground-based evacuation impossible. The catastrophic damage forced surgical evacuations, postponed critical care, eliminated emergency services access, and closed the facility entirely.
In the context of climate change and health, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), comprising 85 per cent of the world’s population, are facing the worst of this pressure.
Despite this, only around 0.5 per cent of multilateral climate funding is currently allocated to health projects. This needs to change. For climate finance to be fair, effective, and truly focused on people, it must provide clear support for climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems in LMICs.
Health systems are not just passive responders to climate shocks but serve as essential infrastructure. In countries like Sri Lanka, health facilities are already struggling with heatwaves, floods, and disruptions in supply chains. Many rural clinics lack reliable electricity, clean water, or early warning systems.
Investing in climate-responsive health systems brings many benefits:
This is not just about public health; it also makes sense economically and environmentally. Ultimately, if health matters, this is what needs to happen.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Adaptation Fund, other multilateral funds, multilateral development banks, and other relevant actors must clearly identify and report health-related spending within climate adaptation and resilience-building. Transparency and accountability in health investment tracking are essential.
In addition, issues related to access to these funding sources must be addressed. In many LMICs, for example, health ministries do not have the legal or technical ability to apply for major funds. This needs to change. Health actors must be seen as important climate stakeholders.
Then there is the matter of implementation. While many countries have created national health and climate strategies, they lack the funding to carry them out. Financing must support facilities, training, technologies, and monitoring.
If examples are needed on where to begin, bilateral and regional efforts are a starting point. There has been a notable increase in the share of bilateral climate finance directed to the health sector, rising from 1 per cent in 2018 to about 9 per cent in 2022. South-South learning and the support of existing local success stories could help to further strengthen health systems at the local and national level.
At the upcoming COP30 in Brazil in November 2025, negotiators and funders must see health as not just a co-benefit, but as a cornerstone of climate action as well as climate finance. Climate-resilient health systems save lives, reduce inequality, and ground adaptation in human dignity. Health is the “why” at the heart of everything; let’s fund it like it matters.
