Investing early in climate-health preparedness could save millions of lives and generate economic returns many times higher than the initial costs, according to a new global study released on Wednesday by the World Resources Institute (WRI) with support from The Rockefeller Foundation.
The research found that every $1 invested in climate-health solutions in low- and middle-income countries could produce between $4 and $68 in benefits by reducing deaths, disease burdens and economic losses linked to climate change.
The study analysed 46 projects across 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean and the Middle East and North Africa. It assessed the effectiveness of interventions including early warning systems, disease surveillance, climate-informed health services and public awareness campaigns.
Researchers said climate-related health risks are escalating rapidly as rising temperatures intensify heatwaves, floods and disease outbreaks. Infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue, cholera and diarrhoea are expected to spread more widely under changing climate conditions, particularly in vulnerable communities with weak health systems.
According to the report, a comprehensive package of climate-health services enables governments, hospitals, emergency responders and communities to better anticipate and respond to climate-driven threats before they become large-scale crises.
“Climate disasters are becoming more frequent and more destructive, but how severely they affect human health is still within our control,” said WRI President and CEO Ani Dasgupta.
“Health is the most human face of climate change. It affects everyone, especially children and disproportionately harms the poorest communities,” he added.
The report warned that without stronger action, low- and middle-income countries could face nearly 16 million deaths and over $20 trillion in economic losses from climate-related health impacts by 2050.
Despite growing risks, fewer than half of health ministries worldwide currently integrate climate information into national disease surveillance and health monitoring systems, the study noted.
Researchers found that investments in climate-health preparedness significantly improve the ability to detect outbreaks early, strengthen emergency response systems and reduce pressure on already strained healthcare facilities.
“The climate crisis is a health crisis, one that is hurting the people already most vulnerable to the impacts of extreme heat and natural disasters,” said Dr Naveen Rao of The Rockefeller Foundation.
“This study shows how even modest investments can help communities get ahead of climate-driven health threats, strengthening health systems and saving lives,” he added.
WRI estimated that a country with a population of 25 million could implement a full climate-health service package for approximately $18 million annually — roughly 72 cents per person each year.
Individual programmes were estimated to cost between $1.4 million and $5.9 million annually, depending on the scale and type of intervention.
Several case studies highlighted exceptionally high economic returns. Climate-resilient healthcare infrastructure projects generated returns of $168 for every dollar invested in Jamaica and $317 in St Lucia. Meanwhile, urban heatwave warning systems in Indian cities returned nearly $50 per dollar invested.
Climate experts said the findings reinforce the urgent need for developing countries to integrate climate adaptation into public health planning.
Md Shamsuddoha, chief executive of the Centre for Participatory Research and Development (CPRD), said Bangladesh and other climate-vulnerable countries cannot afford to treat climate and health as separate policy issues anymore.
“Investing in climate-health systems today is far less costly than dealing with large-scale health emergencies in the future. Early warning systems, community preparedness and climate-sensitive healthcare planning are now essential for protecting vulnerable populations,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
However, the report also highlighted major financing gaps. Many developing countries continue to struggle to secure long-term funding for climate-health programs, while meteorological agencies often lack sufficient resources for coordination with health authorities.
World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said governments already possess the scientific tools and data needed to reduce climate-related health risks.
“If we fail to act, our changing climate will continue to reshape health risks faster than our systems can adapt,” she said.
“But we are not powerless. We already have the science, data and tools to anticipate and reduce these risks. Investing in climate-health services is a life-saving, cost-effective choice.”
