New Delhi – In a landmark moment at the ongoing COP30 UN Climate Summit in Belem, Brazil, nearly 80 countries and organizations unveiled the Belem Action Plan for Health and Climate Adaptation, marking the world’s first international climate adaptation document exclusively dedicated to health. Launched amid urgent calls for action, the plan aims to strengthen global health systems against the intensifying impacts of climate change.
The initiative arrives at a critical juncture, with climate change already driving a global health emergency. Over 540,000 people die annually from extreme heat, while 1 in 12 hospitals worldwide faces the risk of climate-related shutdowns. An estimated 3.3 to 3.6 billion people live in regions highly vulnerable to climate change, where hospitals face a 41% higher risk of damage from extreme weather events.
Core Pillars of the Belem Action Plan
The plan is built on two cross-cutting principles: health equity and climate justice, and leadership and governance on climate and health with social participation. These foundational concepts ensure that adaptation efforts prioritize marginalized communities and involve inclusive decision-making.
The framework outlines three key lines of action to create climate-resilient health systems:
- Surveillance & Monitoring
- Development of climate-informed early warning systems
- Creation of integrated data platforms for real-time risk assessment
- Evidence-based Policy & Capacity Building
- Workforce upskilling for climate-resilient healthcare
- Gender-responsive and equity-driven health policies
- Integration of mental health and psychosocial support
- Innovation & Production
- Construction of resilient healthcare infrastructure
- Promotion of just transitions and sustainable supply chains
- Implementation of return-on-investment frameworks
$300 Million Philanthropic Commitment
In a major boost to the plan’s rollout, 35 philanthropies under the Climate and Health Funders Coalition announced an initial commitment of US $300 million. The funds will support integrated action to address both the causes and consequences of climate change on human health, with a focus on accelerating solutions in the most vulnerable regions.
The financial pledge was revealed at a high-profile event co-hosted by COP30 organizers, the Global Climate and Health Alliance, and Carbon Copy. Speakers at the event highlighted the acute funding shortfall for health-focused adaptation, warning that inaction is compounding both human suffering and economic costs.
A Health Emergency in Numbers
Dr. Marina Romanello, Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown at University College London’s Institute for Global Health, painted a grim picture:
“Each year, more than half a million lives are lost due to heat, and over 150,000 deaths are linked to wildfire smoke exposure. Health systems, already stretched and underfunded, are struggling to cope with these growing pressures, and most are still unprepared for what is coming.”
The 2025 Lancet Countdown Report on Health and Climate Change, released last month, forms the scientific backbone of the Belem Action Plan. The report documents millions of climate-related deaths annually, with additional millions impacted by extreme heat, flooding, storms, and desertification.
The Adaptation Finance Gap
The event also spotlighted the broader adaptation finance crisis. The latest Adaptation Gap Report estimates that developing countries will require US $310–365 billion annually by 2035 to adapt to climate change. However, global flows remain far below target, with the international community struggling to deliver even the US $40 billion per year promised at COP26 in Glasgow.
In India, the scale of the challenge is stark. According to the country’s 2023 national communication to the UNFCCC, $643 billion will be needed between now and 2030 for climate adaptation under a business-as-usual scenario. Despite the daunting figure, India has shown leadership, investing $146 billion (5.6% of GDP) in 2021–2022—up from 3.7% in 2015–2016.
“India has made significant progress in scaling up adaptation spending,” said Dr. Vishwas Chitale, Fellow at the Council for Energy, Environment & Water (CEEW) and UN Research Fellow. “This reflects a growing recognition that climate resilience is an economic and moral imperative.”
Indigenous Voices at COP30
The launch unfolded against a backdrop of grassroots activism. On Friday, COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago was seen walking through a crowd of indigenous protesters who had blocked an entrance to the summit venue. The moment underscored the plan’s emphasis on social participation and the critical role of indigenous communities in shaping climate-health responses.
Why Health-Centric Adaptation Matters
Climate change is no longer a distant threat—it is a public health crisis in real time. Rising temperatures are fueling heat-related deaths, respiratory illnesses from wildfire smoke, and the spread of vector-borne diseases. Extreme weather is damaging hospitals, disrupting supply chains, and overwhelming under-resourced health systems.
The Belem Action Plan seeks to reverse this trajectory by:
- Building early warning systems to predict climate-driven disease outbreaks
- Training healthcare workers to manage heat stress, trauma, and mental health crises
- Designing flood-resistant hospitals and solar-powered clinics
- Ensuring equitable access to care for women, children, and low-income groups
A Call to Scale Up
While the $300 million philanthropic pledge is a vital starting point, experts stress it is only a fraction of what is needed. The plan calls for public-private partnerships, increased national budgets, and reformed global finance mechanisms to close the adaptation gap.
As COP30 continues in Belem, the Belem Action Plan stands as a beacon of targeted, health-focused climate action. With climate change claiming lives daily, the world can no longer afford to treat health as a secondary concern in the fight against global warming.
FAQs
1. What is the Belem Action Plan for Health and Climate Adaptation?
The Belem Action Plan is the world’s first international climate adaptation document focused exclusively on health. Launched at COP30 in Belem, Brazil, by nearly 80 countries and organizations, it aims to strengthen global health systems to better withstand climate change impacts.
2. What are the key principles and lines of action in the plan?
The plan rests on two cross-cutting principles: health equity and climate justice, and leadership and governance with social participation. It outlines three lines of action:
Innovation & Production (resilient infrastructure, sustainable supply chains, return-on-investment models)
Surveillance & Monitoring (early warning systems, integrated data platforms)
Evidence-based Policy & Capacity Building (workforce training, gender-responsive policies, mental health support)
3. How much funding has been committed and who is providing it?
An initial US $300 million has been pledged by 35 philanthropies under the Climate and Health Funders Coalition. The funds will support implementation of the plan, especially in high-vulnerability regions, and address both causes and health consequences of climate change.
4. Why is a health-focused climate adaptation plan urgently needed?
Climate change is already a global health emergency: over 540,000 people die yearly from extreme heat, 1 in 12 hospitals risks climate-related shutdowns, and 3.3–3.6 billion people live in highly vulnerable areas. Hospitals face 41% higher damage risk from extreme weather. The 2025 Lancet Countdown Report documents millions of climate-linked deaths annually.
5. What is the adaptation finance gap and how does India fit in?
Developing countries need US $310–365 billion annually by 2035 for adaptation, but global flows fall short of even the $40 billion yearly pledged in Glasgow (2021). India requires $643 billion by 2030 for adaptation under business-as-usual; it invested $146 billion (5.6% of GDP) in 2021–2022, up from 3.7% in 2015–2016.
