Climate change is eroding human capital at all stages of life, keeping people everywhere from achieving their potential. Without concerted action, the threats from climate change can have long-term impacts on human capital, undoing decades of human development gains. The World Bank is supporting countries to invest in the human capital of their populations, including women and the vulnerable, so that they can better cope with and adapt to a changing climate and have the skills and abilities to meet the demands of the green economy.
World Bank Group Spring Meetings 2023
At the 2023 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group and IMF, over 40 Ministers of Finance and Planning from Human Capital Project Network countries gathered to discuss investing in human capital for better climate outcomes. A public event followed.
The discussions emphasized that, with proper investment, people do not have to be passive victims of climate change. The human cost of climate change is difficult to quantify but has broad and long-lasting impacts. Indeed, education is the greatest predicator of climate-friendly behavior.