The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has launched Phase 3 of its Action Collaborative on Achieving a Climate Resilient and Sustainable Health Sector (Climate Collaborative), marking the next stage in a multi-year effort to advance climate action across the health sector. This phase builds on earlier progress to accelerate implementation, strengthen resilience, and broaden engagement across the health ecosystem.
Since its launch in 2021, the Climate Collaborative has brought together leaders from across the health sector to align around shared priorities to reduce emissions and advance sustainability. Phase 3 expands this work from a primary focus on mitigation to a more comprehensive approach that also addresses adaptation and resilience. The Collaborative is also expanding participation, with an emphasis on engaging a broader set of stakeholders across the health ecosystem to further reflect the communities it serves.
This next phase will continue the Collaborative’s four working groups on supply chain, care delivery, health professional education, and sector-wide integration—the latter evolving into a cross-cutting effort focused on transformation and innovation. Together, these groups will advance high-impact initiatives to support climate-resilient care delivery; strengthen data, metrics, and accountability; further build the evidence base; integrate climate considerations into health care operations; and increase supplier engagement across the value chain.
In 2026-2027, the Collaborative will also continue to accelerate the climate and health movement by scaling solutions, strengthening partnerships, and supporting the health sector in addressing both the causes and impacts of climate change. Through this work, the NAM continues to serve as an independent convener, aligning public-private stakeholders and driving collective action.
As part of Phase 3, Nimesh S. Jhaveri, RPh, MBA, Executive Vice President and Chief Impact Officer at McKesson Corporation, has taken the position as co-chair of the initiative alongside Victor J. Dzau, MD, President of the National Academy of Medicine, and Senator William (“Bill”) Frist, MD, Former US Senate Majority Leader and Chair of the Global Board of Directors at The Nature Conservancy. Nimesh succeeds George Barrett, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cardinal Health, whose leadership helped shape the Collaborative since its inception.
The Climate Collaborative is part of the NAM Grand Challenge on Climate and Health, a global initiative to improve and protect health by working to transform systems that both contribute to and are impacted by the changing climate.
For more information and to get involved, visit nam.edu/ClimateCollaborative or contact [email protected].
