Going for the Win-Win: Exploring Approaches to Climate, Health, and Equity Co-Benefit Investments

Cosponsored with the Health & Environmental Funders Network and Climate and Energy Funders Group

As recognition grows that climate change is a major health threat, so too is recognition that climate action could have significant benefits for public health and overburdened communities (beyond reducing climate impacts). For example, developing clean energy in low-income housing or expanding active transport (walking or cycling) and public transit may provide economic and health benefits to low-income people while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There is growing interest in “co-benefit” investments for their potential for high payoff: addressing several urgent societal needs at once, engaging more partners and assets, and accelerating solution strategies.

Co-benefits grantmaking also presents challenges. Funders may encounter unfamiliar issues and partners with different priorities. They face choices about which and whose benefits, costs, and risks, with partial data and unknowns. And co-benefits work is very much an innovation space. People are experimenting with metrics and methodologies, ways of aligning diverse funding interests, and processes to engage affected communities, health, and other key stakeholders. Getting better at co-benefits work is an important step towards bigger impact.

This webinar explored ways of thinking about climate, health, and equity co-benefit approaches. Speakers shared examples and experiences from co-benefits work, reflecting on strengths, limitations, and lessons as groundwork for discussion. Speakers included: Jonathan Levy of Boston University School of Public Health, Cecilia Martinez of the Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy (CEED), Ben Russak of Liberty Hill Foundation, and John Scicchitano of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).