Decarbonisation of the health sector
Drafted by European academies, this document considers the contribution of the health-sector to the decarbonisation targets of the European Union. Achieving these targets requires integrated action across all sectors, including the health-care sector with an estimated 5% share in total emissions.
Reducing carbon footprints of health systems, for example by reducing greenhouse gas emissions during construction and running of hospitals and associated transportation, can bring local and near-term benefits to health. There are also considerable opportunities with procurement, for example by providing sustainable and healthy diets for patients.
This systems change requires adopting a culture in the health sector to value sustainability and to share good practice for change at local, national and international levels. Important in this context is cooperation with policy-makers in developing target-oriented measures.
Pages: 10 p.
Contact
Dr. Roger Pfister
Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences
House of Academies
PO Box
3001 Bern
Switzerland