Sustainability and Healthcare

Globally, healthcare is responsible for 2.0 gigatons of carbon dioxide emissions annually or 4.4% of global emissions. In Ireland, the HSE’s Climate Action Strategy 2023-205 is a detailed focused action plan that aims to deliver of the national commitment to sustainability as captured in the Climate Act 2021, which commits the country to:

A 50% reduction in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) carbon emissions by 2030 and

Net Zero Emissions by 2050 at the latest.

The HSE’s Climate Action Strategy sets out its programme that “will help enable Ireland to transition towards becoming a climate-resilient, biodiversity-rich, environmentally stable and climate-neutral economy by no later than 2050”.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted in 2015. The 17 goals and 169 targets provide a blueprint for a more sustainable future by addressing global challenges such as poverty, inequality and climate change. Reset Sustainability focuses utilising the structural strengths and skills of healthcare organisations to deliver sustainable organisations that doesn’t compromise clinical care.

Healthcare Sustainability Challenges

Modern healthcare is a highly structured, complex, rapidly changing, patient focused and energy intensive industry. To address sustainability healthcare organisations need to foster broad engagement with coherent strategies and implementation plans in order to decarbonise the system. The key challenges facing organisations include the:

Decarbonisation of their healthcare estates and facilities.

Reinventing transport for staff and patients.

Decarbonisation of the supply chain including food and catering.

Securing clinical leadership to redesign care that is both high quality and sustainable.

Fostering research and innovation into alternative approaches to care delivery.