Mitigating climate health risks through innovation at Davos 2025 

At the midpoint of the 2025 World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Mercer and Oliver Wyman hosted an early morning session titled “Mitigating Climate-Driven Health Risks Through Innovation”. The event convened global leaders and experts to discuss the profound health and economic challenges posed by climate change and to explore innovative strategies for adaptation.

Venues like Davos stand out as invaluable spaces where global leaders can bridge diverse areas of expertise, turning shared challenges into actionable solutions.

Pat Tomlinson, CEO of Mercer, opened the session by highlighting the critical intersection of climate and health, noting that natural disasters are a growing concern for HR and risk professionals.

Furthermore, the impact of climate change on employee health is already clear. 77% of employees globally say that they have experienced climate-related financial or health impacts, according to Mercer Marsh Benefits’ forthcoming Health on Demand research.

Dr. Oliver Eitelwein of Oliver Wyman punctuated the risks of inaction with findings from the newly launched report, Healthcare in a Changing Climate: Investing in Resilient Solutions. The report projects that climate-related health crises could lead to $12.5 trillion in global economic losses by 2050. However, the report suggests that strategic investments could prevent six million deaths and significantly reduce economic losses. Eitelwein stressed the necessity of incentivizing long-term investments and fostering innovation to transition from a reactive to proactive mindset.

These insights contextualized the importance of exploring solutions that organizations can adopt today, rather than wait for the crises of tomorrow.

Rt. Hon. Helen Clark’s keynote address, facilitated by Terry Stone of Oliver Wyman, reiterated the urgent need for proactive measures to tackle the existing health impacts of climate change.

Drawing on her extensive leadership experience, Clark emphasized the importance of framing climate risks at the level of individual health, rather than an abstract, stating "This isn't just something affecting someone somewhere else. This is affecting us and it could be me. It could be my health.”

She also advocated for strengthened public-private partnerships, specifically citing the insurance industry as critical partners in helping organizations to anticipate and respond to climate risks.

Rt. Hon. Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, and board member of The Lancet Countdown on Climate and Health shares her thoughts on bringing issues around climate to communities by making it personal.

Moderated by Hervé Balzano, President of Health & Benefits at Mercer and Mercer Marsh Benefits, the panel focused on what organizations are already doing to mitigate the escalating impacts of climate on health. Leaders illuminated the deep interconnections between community health systems, diagnostics technologies, financing models, and health equity as essential components for safeguarding affected populations today.

Dr. Rangarajan Sampath, SVP at Siemens Healthineers, drew on learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic to emphasize the critical role of diagnostics in global health security, especially given the risk of emerging diseases due to climate change. He explained how investments in regional manufacturing and innovations like drone-assisted sample delivery can localize solutions and enhance access.

Building on the theme of thinking globally and acting locally, Dr. Madeleine Ballard, CEO of the Community Health Impact Coalition, echoed Helen Clark’s comments on navigating conflicting regional priorities. She reiterated the need for global guidelines, funding, and advocacy as crucial elements in driving sustainable health policy. Ballard underscored the pivotal role of community health workers at the frontlines of climate-related response, such as pandemic detection and healthcare delivery. 

Michael Newsome, Deputy Director at UNICEF, highlighted the disproportionate burden that climate change places on children, noting that 90% of the climate-related disease burden is borne by children under five. To address existing risks, initiatives like UNICEF’s Today and Tomorrow parametric insurance program can rapidly identify and deploy funding to protect vulnerable communities. 

A tangible example of cross-sector collaboration came from Daniella Foster, Global Head of Public Affairs at Bayer, who shared Bayer’s work in forging partnerships like the Better Life Farming Alliance. This initiative not only equips smallholder farmers with tools for resilience like insurance products, but also addresses their healthcare needs through last-mile delivery systems.

At the organizational level, Foster additionally commented on Bayer’s steps to align climate goals with corporate strategy, with 20% of board compensation tied to the company’s achievement of sustainability targets.

Explore other highlights and opportunities for your own organization, as you plan your own response to climate and health.