Climate change is one of the greatest threats to children and youth globally, with over 1 billion children at its frontline. Despite this awareness, there's a staggering $366 billion finance gap for climate adaptation, with less than 5% going to health projects. Local communities only receive 10% of climate funding directly. Only 0.5% of multilateral climate financing reaches health projects, creating an urgent need to fast-track flexible finance for locally-led health adaptation that prioritizes young people's needs.
We respond by directing resources toward the upstream determinants of youth health, recognizing that environmental conditions are among the most powerful predictors of lifelong outcomes. Supporting community-led efforts and youth-designed solutions that address health impacts of climate change, we advance projects spanning early warning systems and preparedness, response to climate-sensitive diseases, climate-smart agriculture, WASH and more. Our ambition - to protect over 6 million children by 2030.
Our Climate Action & Health Resilience Grants Program
Since 2023, we have committed €42 million through 2030 to support innovative, locally-led solutions that address climate's impact on youth health. Our grants program channels funding directly to frontline projects, empowering communities to develop adaptation solutions that work for their specific contexts. To date, more than 60 projects across 28 countries are developing early warning systems, climate-smart agriculture, sanitation and hygiene improvements, and other critical interventions.
Areas of Focus
We support community-led efforts that prepare for, protect against and address a community’s risk to climate-sensitive diseases (including vector-borne and water-borne diseases).
Climate-Sensitive Disease Prevention
Supporting community-led efforts to prepare for, protect against and address risks from climate-sensitive vector-borne and water-borne diseases that disproportionately affect children.
Collective Action for Scale
Local Solutions Campus: Since its launch in Dakar in 2024, the Local Solutions Campus has brought together over 600 frontline practitioners from 26 African and Asian countries, sharing innovations and building collaborative networks focused on protecting children from climate impacts
Climate x Health Catalytic Fund: Partnering with the Global Fund and Gates Foundation, we co-launched a $50 million fund to accelerate global action on climate and health, with youth protection as a central priority.
Through these initiatives, we demonstrate that investing in climate and health adaptation delivers strong returns - 2to4 for every dollar invested - while building the resilient communities where children and youth can thrive despite climate challenges.
Related Content
Resourcing Climate and Health Priorities
This white paper offers a comprehensive analysis of current financing levels and trends, providing a crucial baseline for strengthening financial support for climate and health initiatives.
2024 Action Report: From Risk to Resilience
Our report highlights the urgent need for increased investment to strengthen the resilience of healthcare systems and protect lives by facilitating rapid, flexible funding for locally led health adaptation.
Sanofi Supporting Vulnerable Communities
Sanofi supporting vulnerable communities as part of commitment to social impact and fight against climate change.