Climate Week NYC – highlighting the climate crisis as a health crisis

As climate change intensifies, heat-related deaths are rising and – according to the World Economic Forum, economic losses could reach a staggering £12.5 trillion by 2050. Against this backdrop, Climate Group have introduced the first ever Health Program at New York’s Climate Week – serving as a vital prompt for all to acknowledge the interconnected nature of planet and people.  

We know it’s imperative for businesses to take decisive action. But where can leaders start? And how can interventions be designed to simultaneously build both health and environmental resilience?
 
Forum for the Future’s Chief Executive Dr Sally Uren's article for Climate Week NYC highlights how the climate crisis is fundamentally a health crisis – and one that is disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable in our society.

Policy as a route to cleaner air

Air pollution is a major cause of death around the world. The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago calls it “the greatest external threat to human life expectancy” more dangerous than smoking, alcohol, or unsafe water. The same drivers behind air pollution also fuel climate change, linking the climate crisis to health.
 
Integrated policies are needed, yet action remains siloed. That’s why a new report, commissioned by the Clean Air Fund and produced by Forum and iovoli pharmaceutical consulting, calls for integrated environmental and health policies to reduce outdoor air pollution.
 
Are you interested in exploring how different sectors can work together to tackle this issue? If so, register for our upcoming webinar. 

Enabling private sector action and collaboration around climate, health and food

Forum is expanding the Climate and Health Coalition with the launch of the Climate and Health Coalition Food Cluster. In partnership with Britvic, SIG, and Waitrose, we're helping food and drink industry leaders accelerate the transformation of food systems for better health and climate outcomes. We're developing a toolkit, launching in November 2024, to showcase case studies and offer guidance on integrating climate, health, and food strategies.

A practical guide for just energy transitions

In a significant step towards promoting equitable renewable energy, the JustRE Alliance has launched “Powerful Futures: Practitioner Insights on the Just Transition to Renewable Energy”, its first collective work. Co-authored by Forum’s Managing Director (India) Anna Biswas, members of the Responsible Energy Initiative and JustRE Alliance partners, this guide offers practical insights for practitioners on areas like land and water management, supply chains, and community engagement. Drawing from examples in Latin America, Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia, it equips renewable energy practitioners with tools to drive a just and equitable transition globally.

Rethinking food, energy, and business: Our 2023 annual report 

As we face an increasingly uncertain world, bright spots of hope remain.  

Forum’s latest Annual Report showcases a snapshot of achievements in 2023. These include: scaling the Responsible Energy Initiative (REI) in India and expanding it to the Philippines; making progress on unblocking barriers to scaling regenerative agriculture; and partnering with ambitious businesses across the UK, Europe, India, Southeast Asia and the US to transform why and how they operate.  

Learn more about how, alongside our partners, we’re influencing deep and urgent transitions in food, energy and the purpose of business. All for a just and regenerative future. 

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