Achieving research equity in climate-health science requires concrete structural changes, not rhetorical commitments. The new Lancet commentary identifies three critical reforms the global scientific ecosystem must adopt.
First, funding mechanisms must shift to position South Asian researchers as primary grantees and decision-makers, not subcontractors. Second, research institutions, journals, and funding agencies must ensure proportional representation from affected regions in leadership and editorial roles. Third, intellectual property frameworks must guarantee that knowledge generated in the region remains accessible and controlled by South Asian institutions, preventing historical patterns of research extraction.
These changes address the root issue: the international research ecosystem continues perpetuating colonial power imbalances. Implementation requires institutional accountability and sustained commitment from Global North funders to genuinely redistribute scientific authority and resources.
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