The missed opportunities in the Climate X Health Ecosystem
Authors: Manjot Kaur , Dhananjay Vaidyanathan Rohini , Chandni Goel , Alessio Damato , Prisha Saxena
This piece is the fourth article in our 4-part series on “Demystifying the Climate-Health Intersection”. The first three articles can be accessed at the following links:
As climate change accelerates and intensifies health risks worldwide, new approaches and resources have begun to flow into the “climate x health” arena. However, many critical opportunities remain underexploited or overlooked. There are four strategic levers which serve as entry points for solutions to build climate-resilient health systems. Interestingly, these same four areas helped us understand where the biggest missed opportunities are, and where more concerted action is urgently needed.
1. Policy & Planning Support
Insufficient integration of climate into national and subnational health strategies
As of January 2025, less than 70 countries have submitted National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) to the United Nations Climate Change NAP Central database. While this is encouraging, these plans, more often than not, remain siloed from broader health strategies. Governments and health ministries frequently treat climate risks as peripheral instead of embedding them into core health policies — such as universal health coverage or disease surveillance programs. Further, there are very few attempts – both for national and subnational planning – for policymakers and implementers to learn from each other’s experiences or share best practices.
Limited Multi-Sectoral Coordination
Addressing climate-driven health challenges requires cooperation across multiple domains —environment, health, agriculture, transportation, and finance (often led by different government departments). However, cross-sector task forces remain rare or lack the authority to enact meaningful policy changes.
Limited Long-Term Emergency Preparedness
Emergency response plans often focus on short-term crisis management, neglecting structural reforms that could boost resilience. Climate events such as intense storms or prolonged droughts recur, yet many health systems continue to scramble reactively. A missed opportunity lies in long-range climate forecasting and scenario planning, which could enable governments and NGOs to pre-position supplies, train personnel, and strengthen infrastructure before the next disaster strikes. Thinking long-term can also unlock additional opportunities, e.g., using decentralized renewable sources can also reduce the cost of energy.
2. Investments in Systems
Gaps in Health Infrastructure Resilience
Global health financing has historically emphasized immediate service delivery over infrastructure resilience. As a result, health facilities in climate-prone regions remain highly vulnerable — damaged power lines, flooding, and transport disruptions can quickly cut off access to care. Investments in solar-powered clinics, flood-proof facilities, and robust supply chains represent a major missed chance to protect communities and ensure continuity of care.
Overlooking Workforce Adaptation
Despite the growing consensus that frontline health workers need climate-specific training, few large-scale programs address this gap. Beyond crisis-management skills, clinicians need to understand how shifting weather patterns impact disease prevalence, nutrition, and mental health. Funding comprehensive workforce development — incorporating climate science into medical education and ongoing professional development — is very under-utilized avenue for scaling climate–health preparedness.
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3. Investments in Determinants of Health
Neglect of Environmental Risks in Disease Prevention
While some global health initiatives target specific diseases—like malaria or dengue—there is often a fragmented approach to addressing the root environmental causes. For instance, community-level vector control and sustainable waste management could reduce disease transmission, yet these interventions lack sustained funding. In many contexts, the focus remains on reactive treatments instead of proactive environmental improvements.
Underemphasis on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH)
Worsening floods and droughts amplify the vulnerability of water sources, directly affecting health outcomes. However, comprehensive WASH interventions still struggle to gain the policy traction and financial backing they deserve. Investing in water purification technologies, protecting watersheds, and expanding safe sanitation infrastructure remains a critical—and often missed—opportunity to shield communities from waterborne diseases.
Limited Food System Adaptations
Climate shocks frequently disrupt local and regional food supplies, contributing to malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. Although there is growing awareness of the link between agriculture and climate change, many high-level strategies do not explicitly prioritize climate-resilient farming for health outcomes. Strengthening local supply chains and promoting climate-smart agriculture—such as drought-resistant crops—could safeguard nutritional status, yet these measures remain underfunded.
4. Evidence Building, Collaboration, and Advocacy
Persistent Research and Data Gaps
In the climate–health space, data collection and research frequently occur in silos, limiting the potential for comprehensive insights. There is an absence of standardized metrics or robust monitoring frameworks that capture how climate variability drives changes in health outcomes—ranging from increased incidence of vector-borne diseases to mental health impacts. Without these metrics, decision-makers struggle to gauge the cost-effectiveness or scalability of different interventions.
Inadequate Investment in Collaborative Platforms
Interdisciplinary collaboration is pivotal to advancing climate–health solutions. Yet coalitions or networks often operate with limited budgets, restricting large-scale studies, cross-country comparisons, and integrated policymaking. More sustained support for these platforms could foster knowledge-sharing—combining local climate data, epidemiological records, and socioeconomic indicators to create a stronger evidence base for holistic solutions.
Limited Focus on Local Research Capacity
Beyond global or high-income settings, local research institutions in low- and middle-income countries are critical for contextualizing climate–health impacts. Underinvestment in local data collection and analysis hinders the customization of solutions to local realities—such as specific disease vectors, infrastructure challenges, or cultural practices around water and sanitation. Nurturing local research capacity would yield more relevant evidence and strengthen the voices of frontline communities.
Underpowered Advocacy and Communication
Despite growing public concern about climate change, health implications are still underrepresented in media coverage and political debates. Advocacy efforts could better highlight the immediate, tangible benefits of climate adaptation for community well-being—demonstrating how preventive measures save lives and resources. By translating climate–health data into accessible formats and aligning messaging across sectors, advocates could galvanize greater political will and funding for proactive interventions.
Once again, we reiterate that this is an indicative rather and comprehensive picture and we'd love to hear from people working in (or thinking about) this space: what are some other missed opportunities in the climate-health nexus that worry you and inspire you?
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