Climate change significantly impacts the global population’s health; it increases exposure to environmental disasters and infectious diseases, exacerbates non-communicable conditions, and worsens mental health, among other consequences.

Most health care leaders know they should act against climate change. But little urgency exists to make organizational changes in large part because leaders believe that climate change problems are too big for any one actor to solve. Sadly, this belief causes leaders to overlook the many additional climate change consequences that will significantly impact their business operations. If inaction in these areas continues, organizations will experience negative impacts on their long-term bottom lines. Operating costs will rise and it will be harder to attract and retain staff and consumers.

This infographic explores three major consequences that climate change inaction will have on health care organizations’ bottom lines. It translates the systemic, global problem of climate change into the business priorities of individual organizations. Localizing the problem is the first step to making the actionable and sustainable changes necessary to prepare for the climate change challenges ahead.