Adapting to Climate-Related Health Risks: The Economic Case for Climate Services for Health

The research finds that investing in climate services for health (CSfH)—such as early warning systems and disease surveillance—yields economic returns between US$3.60 and $68.40 per dollar invested. Despite these high returns and modest funding requirements, such as an estimated $12–$18 million annually for a median-sized developing country, these tools remain underfunded and underused. Currently, only 23 percent of surveyed WMO Member States integrate meteorological data into health surveillance systems to manage risks from diseases like malaria, dengue, and heatstroke.

• Investing in climate services for health (CSfH), which include disease surveillance, early warning systems, and resilient health facilities, provides significant economic returns ranging from US$3.60 to $68.40 for every dollar spent. These returns remain strong even under worst-case assumptions, though the range varies based on effectiveness, scale, and risk assumptions.
• The annual investment needs for a median-sized developing country to implement CSfH are estimated to be between $12 million and $18 million.
• There is a significant gap in the integration of climate data into health systems, with only 23 percent of surveyed WMO Member States incorporating meteorological information into health surveillance. This integration is critical for managing climate-related health risks such as cholera, diarrhea, heatstroke, dengue, and malaria, which primarily impact vulnerable populations.

APA

World Resources Institute (2026). Adapting to Climate-Related Health Risks: The Economic Case for Climate Services for Health. https://www.wri.org/research/adapting-to-climate-related-health-risks

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Adapting to Climate-Related Health Risks: The Economic Case for Climate Services for Health. 2026. https://www.wri.org/research/adapting-to-climate-related-health-risks.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Adapting to Climate-Related Health Risks: The Economic Case for Climate Services for Health |date=12 May 2026 |url=https://www.wri.org/research/adapting-to-climate-related-health-risks |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2026adapting, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Adapting to Climate-Related Health Risks: The Economic Case for Climate Services for Health}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/adapting-to-climate-related-health-risks}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }