A new study by the World Resources Institute (WRI) with support from The Rockefeller Foundation has made clear what we have known for some time now: Investing in climate‑related health systems today could save countless lives and billions in costs tomorrow.
For Bangladesh, among the world’s most climate‑vulnerable nations dealing with rising temperatures, salinity intrusion, floods, and cyclones, we must recognize the cost of inaction and continue to prioritize our preparation against the adverse effects of climate change, which are already straining our health systems, spreading disease, and threatening livelihoods.
Our nation has a history of being resilient in disaster preparedness, reducing cyclone deaths through awareness and infrastructure. However, climate change is multiplying risks in ways our health system is not equipped to handle.
This issue is compounded as hospitals are underfunded, rural clinics under‑staffed, and preventive care under‑prioritized.
As such, climate health investment is akin to survival for our country, and cannot be taken lightly.
We have long known that prevention is cheaper than cure. Strengthening primary healthcare, investing in resilient infrastructure, and integrating climate adaptation into health policy will save lives and reduce long‑term costs for our country.
For a prosperous future, we must build systems that can withstand shocks, protect the most vulnerable, and ensure that climate disasters do not become health catastrophes.
However, Bangladesh cannot do this alone. The Global North, whose emissions have caused and continue to exacerbate the climate crisis, must step up.
International financing for climate health must be scaled up, not cut back. Aid flows are shrinking even as needs grow, leaving nations such as ours to shoulder a burden we had no part in creating. The developed world and its leaders must recognize that climate health is a global responsibility.
