Component 10: Sustainable climate and health financing 

Effectively protecting health from climate change will incur financial costs for health systems. The direct damage costs from climate change to health (excluding costs in health-determining sectors such as agriculture and water and sanitation), is estimated to be US$ 2–4 billion per year by 2030. For example, health systems may need to allocate resources to expand the geographic or seasonal range or population coverage of surveillance and control programmes for climate-sensitive infectious diseases, or to retrofit health facilities to withstand more extreme weather events.  

Investing in health will also create benefits from the reduction of economic impacts, such as reduction of direct and indirect costs from climate-related diseases and its impacts on health systems. Implementing measures that can increase climate resilience and sustainable low carbon in health systems can generate a high cost–benefit return, especially in the long term, reflecting in both environmental and social goods, and improving the health and well-being of populations.  

In order to mobilize and utilize financial resources to adequately respond to climate threats, assessments of resource requirements, available finance, as well as finance gaps and opportunities to fill them, are needed. A comprehensive approach to financing health protection from climate change should first build on core investments in health systems, such as investments to ensure adequate numbers of competent health workforce and basic health infrastructure and services, which also help to address climate change risks. 

At the international level, the main multilateral funding mechanisms are mandated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Main global climate change funding mechanisms include the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Global Environmental Facility (GEF),the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) and the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), and the Adaptation Fund. Further guidance on entry points for health financing under each of these funding streams is provided by WHO. In addition to the main international climate change specific funding mechanisms, funding is also available through bilateral and regional channels. The Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) supports countries in accessing finance and funding for climate change and health.  

For more information on the objectives, example outputs and indicators for sustainable climate and health financing, see the WHO Operational Framework for building climate-resilient and low carbon health systems (under Resources).