Imagine facing deadly heat waves and polluted air that threaten millions every day! That's the scary reality as global temperatures climb. At the COP30 climate summit in Brazil, a powerful group of philanthropies decided to fight back. They pledged a whopping $300 million to find smart, life-saving ideas to tackle extreme heat, air pollution, and diseases linked to climate change. This huge fund will help gather data and figure out where to best spend money to save lives. "We are a philanthropy. We can't just keep plugging holes and resuscitating a dying model of development," said Estelle Willie, director of health policy at The Rockefeller Foundation, one of the backers. "So what we are trying to do is through our philanthropy capital, we can start testing and validating new solutions through this work and coming together," she added. Brazil, the proud host of COP30, also launched the Belem Health Action Plan. This plan pushes countries to join hands across ministries to better track and manage climate-related health risks. It's part of Brazil's big goal to help nations prepare for floods, fires, droughts, and storms made worse by climate change. The $300 million joins public money already spent—between $1 and $2 billion—on researching climate health issues, as a 2023 PLOS study shows. Experts warn, however, much more action is needed. "Progress on health is declining," Willie warned. "We've had hard-fought wins in health through technology, through the global health system. But climate change is literally making every single problem and global health worse right now." The Lancet journal reports frightening stats: nearly 550,000 deaths yearly are linked to heat worsened by climate change, plus 150,000 deaths from air pollution caused by fossil fuels and raging wildfires. Infectious diseases like dengue fever have also spiked, with cases up 49% since the 1950s. The U.N. says more than 3.3 billion people—half of the world—already wrestle with rising heat. John-Arne Rottingen, CEO of the Wellcome Trust, another funder, stressed, "The warnings from scientists on climate change have become reality. And it is clear that not all people are affected equally." Vulnerable groups include children, pregnant women, older adults, outdoor workers, and people with fewer resources to cope. Other big names joining this Climate and Health Funders Coalition are the Gates Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and IKEA Foundation. Twenty-seven other philanthropies have signed on but haven't yet promised funds. The battle against extreme heat and climate threats is gathering exciting global muscle – but the clock is ticking fast!