Climate change is a public health emergency impacting the health and well-being of the global population, as well as the strength of our economies. Associated with an escalation of new and existing pathogens, increases in air- and water-borne pollution, the threat of extreme heat and worsening extreme weather events, climate change is directly affecting global health. Recent research by the Forum has shown climate change could cause 14.5 million additional deaths and $12.5 trillion in global economic losses by 2050.

This evolving burden of disease creates occupational health hazards, compromises growth, and reduces labour productivity with an estimated $1.5 trillion in expected productivity losses across the health and healthcare, built environment and food and agriculture sectors. The health- and wealth-inequity gaps continues to be exacerbated due to the erosion of purchasing power, and lower-income countries and communities being more affected by climate change.

The Climate and Health Initiative aims to build societal resilience, by identifying and scaling the adoption of high-impact solutions at the nexus of climate and health. With the active support from a multi-stakeholder and cross-industry community, the initiative produces cutting-edge research, and action-oriented dialogues and events to drive stronger climate adaptation for health. Our workstreams for 2025-2026 focus on:

• Workforce protection from extreme heat: supporting partners to identify and implement measures aimed at protecting workers and mitigating productivity losses associated with extreme heat.


• Investing in resilient health: unlocking commercial capital to scale the adoption of climate-health solutions through market sizing, showcasing of solutions, and dialogues between investors, other funders, and public sector leaders.

The Initiative is led by a core team spanning the Forum's Centre for Health and Healthcare and the Centre for Nature and Climate. Governance is provided by a multidisciplinary Steering Committee featuring members from the private and public sectors as well as academia and foundations.