Apr 07, 2023
The impact of climate risks on health is disproportionate and contingent on geodemographics, health conditions, and sociopolitical and economic factors. The message of this year’s World Health Day is health for all. Amid the single biggest health threat facing humanity (i.e., climate change) the theme is more urgent than ever. According to the World Health Organization, by 2030, climate change will cause annual health sector damages worth US$ 2 to 4 billion. While developed countries are more well-suited to prepare and respond, low- and middle-income countries rely on transformational global action to reduce emissions and avert further temperature rise, which already take a serious toll on health, livelihoods, and equality.
Every year, more than 2.5 million people die due to the burning of fossil fuels. Further effects of climate change such as extreme weather events, zoonoses, water- and vector-borne diseases, and biodiversity loss increase the likelihood of injury, illness, and death.
The Climate Investment Funds (CIF) plays a proactive role in supporting the health sector of low- and middle-income economies through financing policy engagement, financing, capacity building, technical assistance, and analytics. CIF’s Nature, People and Climate Investment Program illustrates the efficiency of nature-based solutions in meeting adaptation and mitigation commitments and improving the health of rural communities while empowering Indigenous groups and conserving natural resources.
To this day, fossil fuels dominate the energy market, and current policies are not on track to meet the Paris Agreement goals which require a 43% decrease in global emissions by 2030 from 1990 level. To challenge the issue of fossil fuel dependence, which worsens climate change and burdens health, CIF’s Renewable Energy Integration Program supports cutting edge technologies and innovations on renewable energy integration solutions. About 60% of healthcare facilities in low- and middle-income countries lack access to reliable electricity for basic care. CIF funds renewable energy technologies to enable the safe storage and transport of vaccines and medicine and promote energy efficiency in hospitals and health facilities.
Moving with the times, new CIF programs seek to address the issues in the health and climate change intersection. CIF expects to apply new financing models and approaches to increase finance for climate-smart health care systems through collaborations with socially and environmentally conscious investors, blended finance, and public-private partnerships.
CIF, in collaboration with the Health, Nutrition and Population Global Practice of the World Bank, has developed climate and health diagnostics which has successfully initiated informed policy dialogue at a country level on climate and health resilience. As well, development of the Climate and Health Economic Valuation (CHEV) tool provided a better understanding of the health costs of inaction to tackle climate change and enabled informed decisions on resourcing implications of policy options relating to climate change and health.
The COVID-19 and Climate-Smart Health Care Report, has been serving as a useful reference for practical actions to both facilitate collective recovery efforts during acute crises such as the COVID19 pandemic as while also building long-term climate resilience for health and to support decarbonization of health systems.
Investment in health services, infrastructure, ecosystems, and biodiversity can reduce vulnerability to climate-related health risks and protect the well-being of all people whose health is in direct or indirect jeopardy from unsustainable practices that threaten the health and stability of climate and nature. In a changing climate, financing to protect and rehabilitate nature, strengthen the resilience of health systems and implement health emergency strategies will save lives.
