Early investment in climate-related health systems in low- and middle-income countries can yield up to $68 for every $1 invested, according to new research from World Resources Institute and The Rockefeller Foundation.
The research examined the effectiveness of 46 projects, including early warning systems, disease surveillance and public awareness campaigns, across 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa.
As it found, for every $1 invested in climate health preparedness, between $4 and $68 in benefits is generated, depending on local conditions and the process by which programmes are implemented.
‘More destructive’
“Climate disasters are becoming more frequent and more destructive, but how severely they affect human health is still within our control,” commented Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO of WRI.
“Health is the most human face of climate change – it affects everyone, especially children, and disproportionately harms the poorest communities. Investing in anticipating climate-related health risks can save lives and deliver returns many times over. This is one of the highest-return opportunities to protect people in a changing climate – but only if countries and development partners step up.”
As the report notes, climate change is ’emerging as one of the defining public health challenges of our time’, leading to heatwaves, flooding and extreme weather events, the spread of infectious diseases such as malaria, dengue and cholera, and increased pressure on healthcare systems.
Without stronger, more targeted action, low- and middle-income countries could face nearly 16 million deaths and more than $20 trillion in economic losses by 2050 linked to climate-related health impacts. However, according to the World Health Organisation, less than half of health ministries currently integrate climate data into national health surveillance systems.
Health crisis
“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,” added Dr. Naveen Rao, senior vice president of health at The Rockefeller Foundation.
According to the report, a low- or middle-income country with a population of 25 million could implement a comprehensive package of climate health tools and services for around $18 million per year, or around 72 cents per person. Individual components would range from between $1.4 million to $5.9 million per year.
“This study shows how even modest investments can help communities get ahead of climate-driven health threats, strengthening health systems and saving lives,” Rao added. “The priority now is scaling these solutions to match the risks.” Read more here.
