Healthcare Leader launches the NHS and climate change report today looking at the progress so far on the road to NHS net zero emissions.
Countdown to Net Zero: climate change and the NHS looks at medicines, waste, estates and transport to highlight the latest developments in the NHS system to tackle climate change and reach the NHS net zero emissions target by 2040.
To gain greater insight on developments in this area we also interviewed head of sustainability at NHS Supply Chain, Heidi Barnard, and director of SEE Sustainability Dr Matthew Sawyer, a former GP, about what more can be done at a system and practice level. The report builds on our roundtable on sustainability,
Editor, Victoria Vaughan, says: ‘With budgets tight and patient demand rising, the focus on sustainability and reducing emissions might be hard to maintain. However, as our report highlights, the health benefits of making inroads on carbon emissions and improving our environment are obvious and ultimately, lead back to a healthier population.
‘While the news on climate change is not positive, our report highlights the efforts that people across the NHS are making to hit the ambitious NHS net zero target. It brings together the latest initiatives and thoughts of those leading the sustainability agenda in the NHS.’
The NHS net zero targets
- NHS Carbon Footprint: For the emissions the NHS controls directly it will reach net zero by 2040, with an ambition to reach an 80% reduction by 2028 to 2032;
- NHS Carbon Footprint Plus: For the emissions the NHS can influence it will reach net zero by 2045, with an ambition to reach an 80% reduction by 2036 to 2039.
Read the full report here.
