Six proven climate and health measures could save 1.6 million lives a year while delivering trillions of dollars in economic and fiscal gains, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report released today.
Scaling up these measures globally, from heat-health warning systems and climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene to clean household energy and efficient fossil fuel pricing policies, could generate US$ 3.9 trillion in economic welfare benefits annually, while also helping to cut carbon emissions. They could deliver a further US$ 5.4 trillion a year in fiscal benefits.
The report, Global benefits and costs of prioritized actions on climate change and health, is the first comprehensive analysis of the economic and fiscal returns from taking six WHO-recommended actions to scale. Together, the findings point to a triple dividend from these climate actions: healthier people, lower emissions, and stronger economies.
“The climate crisis is a health crisis, but much of the harm it causes can be prevented with tools we already have,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This report shows that scaling up proven, affordable actions could save millions of lives, with the greatest gains in the countries that need them most. As governments prepare for the next round of climate negotiations, protecting health must be at the centre of climate action.”
Released ahead of COP31, where governments are expected to share their climate commitments, the report underscores that many health impacts of climate change are preventable with solutions available today. But these solutions must be implemented across health and health-determining sectors to help anticipate, prevent, prepare for and reduce climate-related health risks.
The report estimates that scaling up the six actions globally could prevent 1.6 million deaths annually – equivalent to one in every 40 deaths, based on modelled projections. The six actions include: heat-health warning systems; climate-resilient drinking-water services; basic sanitation services; hygiene and handwashing facilities; cleaner household fuels and technologies for cooking and heating; and efficient fossil fuel pricing policies. The actions could also help avoid 16.7 billion tonnes of CO₂ emissions, equivalent to 31% of global annual greenhouse gas emissions excluding land use, land use change and forestry.
Across five of the actions, every US$ 1 invested is estimated to yield US$ 24 in benefits. Benefits are estimated to be greater in low- and middle-income countries, helping reduce health and economic inequalities.
Heat-health warning systems would be among the most cost-beneficial measures assessed, with an estimated return of US$ 835 for every US$ 1 invested, reflecting their ability to leverage existing systems and prevent heat-related illnesses at relatively low cost.
Efficient fossil fuel pricing policies, including removing inefficient subsidies and appropriately taxing these fuels, would generate the largest gains. These policies are estimated to prevent 1.2 million deaths and generate US$ 3 trillion in economic welfare benefits and US$ 5.4 trillion in fiscal benefits annually.
In 2026, countries around the world are facing record-breaking climate shocks. Protecting people and the planet from the impacts of climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. WHO calls on governments, development partners, and financing institutions to act on this economic evidence and invest in these proven actions for health, climate and economies.
Note to editors
The WHO report quantifies health impacts (primarily changes in mortality), environmental impacts (where evidence permits, focusing on changes in greenhouse gas emissions), economic impacts (including changes in productivity and efficiency), and fiscal impacts (namely changes in government revenue) for global scale‑up of six prioritized climate–health interventions. It then monetizes these quantified impacts into economic welfare benefits (the monetary values of the health, environmental and economic impacts) and fiscal benefits (the value of fiscal impacts).
Where feasible implementation costs are then calculated and the return on investment. WHO estimated expanded intervention coverage, impacts, benefits, and costs for 2024–2075, comparing scaled‑up and no‑scale‑up scenarios. Priority interventions, selected from WHO and UN guidance, were assessed using statistical models informed by recent evidence syntheses and datasets to support the case for investment. Limitations include the aspirational scale‑up scenarios, non‑synergistic modelling of some interventions, the still limited evidence bases, and uncertainties in long‑term projections.
About WHO
Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, WHO leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere, an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the United Nations’ agency for health that connects nations, partners and people in more than 150 locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to support all countries to promote, provide and protect health. “Together for health. Stand with science”, the theme of World Health Day 2026, marks a year-long campaign to highlight science as the foundation for protecting health and well-being worldwide.
Source: www.who.int
