What is the Pathfinder Intiative?

The Pathfinder Initiative aims to accelerate the transition to a healthy, net-zero future by providing evidence to inform policies and actions that bring benefits to both climate and health. The project is funded by the Wellcome Trust and led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) in collaboration with global partners, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison, C40 Cities, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), CDP, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), and the Hot or Cool Institute. 

As part of the first phase of work, LSHTM researchers carried out a review of existing evidence on the health benefits of climate action and gathered case studies from around the world of implemented solutions with measured greenhouse gas emissions reductions and health benefits. The findings are published in the report of the Lancet Pathfinder Commission, and available on the Pathfinder Initiative Climate & Health Evidence bank.

 The second phase of the Pathfinder Initiative is underway, and has three main areas of focus: strengthening the evidence base for action on climate and health; supporting the implementation and evaluation of climate mitigation policies and actions that aim to promote health; and knowledge sharing on climate action and health in Africa.

Our research Team is supporting Pathfinder’s Research through the analysis of policies in the United States including the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Law. This analysis explores both the health and equity benefits of different policy choices and also identifies potential opportunities to grow to maximize these benefits.

For more information, visit the Pathfinder Initiative website.