Executive Summary
Introduction
Climate change poses significant health risks globally, necessitating urgent action. This paper, part of a series produced by Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) in collaboration with Arup, aims to address the critical role of the health sector in contributing to the global climate crisis and the opportunities for action. The overarching goal is to define the climate footprint of healthcare and outline strategies for the sector to align with the Paris Agreement's ambition while advancing global health objectives.
Study Methodology
- Definition of the Health Sector: The scope includes hospitals, health systems, governments, and international agencies involved in health care delivery.
- Data Sources and Method Architecture: Utilizes databases and applied information to assess the health sector's environmental impact comprehensively.
- Material Flow Analysis (MRA): Employed to evaluate the flow of materials and energy through the health sector, providing insights into the sector's environmental footprint.
- Environmental Extensions: Enhancements to the MRA framework to better capture environmental impacts related to health care activities.
Key Contributions
- Quantifying Health Care's Climate Impact: Provides empirical data on the environmental footprint of the health sector, highlighting areas where significant reductions can be made.
- Opportunities for Action: Identifies actionable steps that the health sector can undertake to reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to climate resilience.
- Methodological Rigor: Ensures accuracy and integrity in measuring health care's climate impact, incorporating unique aspects of health care into climate footprint measurement and aligning with best practices.
- Regional Flexibility: Acknowledges and accommodates the diverse nature of health systems across regions, ensuring the findings and recommendations are applicable globally.
Collaboration and Acknowledgments
The project was collaboratively developed by HCWH and Arup, with contributions from various international organizations, health institutions, climate experts, and academics. It received support from several organizations including the Climate Works Foundation, SIDA, the Wallace Global Fund, and the MacArthur Foundation, which enabled the creation of this foundational paper on health care's climate impact.
This paper marks the beginning of a series aimed at catalyzing transformative changes within the health sector to combat climate change effectively while upholding health equity and sustainability.
