$11.5M Boost for WHO-WMO Climate & Health Initiative to Shield Vulnerable Nations

In a landmark move to combat the accelerating health impacts of climate change, The Rockefeller Foundation and Wellcome have jointly mobilized U.S. $11.5 million to support the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Climate and Health Joint Programme. Announced on the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly, the funding aims to strengthen weather and climate-informed decision-making within health systems, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

The initiative arrives as global temperatures soar to unprecedented levels and climate-related events increasingly jeopardize human health. The partnership is poised to transform early warning systems, technical training, and cross-sector collaboration—ensuring that countries most at risk are better prepared to respond to emerging climate threats.

Bridging Climate Science and Public Health Action

“This partnership and initiative represent a major step forward,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. “It will accelerate the use of tailored climate services to address some of the most urgent health challenges of our time, from heat-related illness to the spread of infectious diseases.” She emphasized the importance of early warning systems and digital tools in equipping governments and health systems to save lives through proactive climate-health responses.

The program will enhance in-country capacity to integrate climate data into national health planning. The strategy includes establishing operational health-meteorological units in seven countries across Africa, Latin America, and Asia, fostering critical collaboration between National Meteorological Agencies and Ministries of Health in at least 80 countries.

The Cost of Inaction: Rising Heat, Rising Risk

Ko Barrett, Deputy Secretary-General of the WMO, underlined the gravity of the situation during a side event titled Temperatures Rising: Preparing and Protecting for Extreme Heat. “Last year, at least ten countries recorded temperatures above 50°C, and many more surpassed 40°C even at night. These dangerously high temperatures push human health to the brink,” she said.

Extreme heat is already a silent killer. It claims approximately half a million lives annually and led to an estimated $835 billion in lost income in 2023. Yet, only 23% of national health authorities globally incorporate climate and meteorological data into their planning. Worse still, just 26 countries maintain dedicated heat-health early warning systems.

WMO’s State of Climate Services for Health 2023 highlights this alarming gap and urges immediate action to expand coverage and impact. Experts suggest that advancing heat-warning systems in just 57 countries could save nearly 100,000 lives per year.

Foundations Fueling Future-Ready Health Systems

Dr. Naveen Rao, Senior Vice President of Health at The Rockefeller Foundation, declared that after a “decade of deadly heat,” traditional public health approaches are no longer enough. “To save and improve lives, we must reimagine our mission and invest in novel solutions,” he said. The Rockefeller Foundation’s $5.2 million grant to the WMO matches Wellcome’s prior $6.3 million commitment announced at the World Health Summit in October 2024.

Dr. Alan Dangour, Director of Climate and Health at Wellcome, stressed that climate change threatens nearly every facet of human health—from food and water security to mental well-being and infectious diseases. “Our changing climate negatively affects our diet, the air we breathe, the heat stress on our body, our mental health, and increases the risks to food-borne or water-borne infections,” he noted. “But there are known solutions, and science can show the way.”

Goals of the $11.5M Joint Investment

The newly mobilized funding will be directed toward:

• Prototyping and scaling operational health-meteorological units in 7 countries across Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

• Facilitating cross-sectoral capacity building between health ministries and meteorological agencies in over 80 nations.

• Stimulating further investment and strategic collaboration to prevent both immediate and long-term health consequences of climate change.

• Strengthening the scientific basis for health responses to climate extremes through improved research, data-sharing, and global policy engagement.

Uniting for a Climate-Healthy Future

The announcement was accompanied by compelling imagery and messages. One image showed hands of diverse individuals holding a small globe together with green leaves in the background—symbolizing unity and care for both people and the planet. Another depicted a man wiping sweat under the sun, with a caption noting that expanding heat-health warning systems could save tens of thousands of lives annually.

This powerful initiative reflects a growing global consensus: tackling climate change and its health impacts requires unified action, scientific innovation, and sustained investment. The WHO-WMO Joint Programme, bolstered by this generous joint funding, represents a bold leap forward in building climate-resilient health systems fit for the 21st century.