4 Strategies to Address Health, Climate, and Poverty

Report highlights urgent need for health and climate action to be designed together

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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A new report from the Climate Crisis Advisory Group highlights four key areas where climate and health action can be combined to create 'win-win' outcomes: transitioning away from fossil fuels, stewarding nature, transforming food systems, and building resilient infrastructure. The report suggests using nationally determined contributions (NDCs) as a way to align priorities across government and society, creating a focal point for participation, coordination and accountability.

Why it matters

Climate change compounds health issues in unfair and unpredictable ways, with the poorer countries and communities bearing the brunt of the risks. Yet these issues are often tackled separately by different government departments and funders. Integrating climate and health action can bring immediate benefits to people's daily lives, building public support and cross-ministry collaboration to ensure climate plans are more likely to be delivered.

The details

The report highlights four key areas for integrated climate and health action: 1) Transitioning away from fossil fuels to reduce pollution and associated health risks; 2) Stewarding nature to reduce urban heat, flood risks, and improve mental health; 3) Transforming food systems to improve nutrition, reduce obesity and disease; and 4) Building resilient infrastructure for safe water, sanitation, and essential services like schools and hospitals.

  • The report was released in March 2026.

The players

Mark Maslin

UCL Professor of Earth System Science and UNU Lead for Climate, Health and Security, who was a member of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group and wrote the foreword for the report.

Climate Crisis Advisory Group

A diverse collection of the world's most influential and interdisciplinary climate experts who authored the report.

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What they’re saying

“Climate change affects health, shortens lives and makes daily life more difficult for millions of families around the world. But so often, these issues are tackled separately by different government departments and funders.”

— Mark Maslin, UCL Professor of Earth System Science and UNU Lead for Climate, Health and Security (Mirage News)

What’s next

Countries must update their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) every five years, reflecting new evidence and lessons learned, and raising ambition over time. The report suggests using health as a lens to focus NDCs on outcomes that can build public backing and bring more ministries on board.

The takeaway

Integrating climate and health action can create 'win-win' outcomes that improve people's daily lives, build public support, and ensure climate plans are more likely to be delivered. This requires a holistic approach that aligns priorities across government and society.