Global climate footprint of the health care industry

1.1

The health sector, with the mission of protecting and promoting health, has made a "significant contribution" to the climate crisis, the greatest health threat of the 21st century, and therefore has an important role to play in addressing the climate crisis. The climate footprint of the health care industry is equivalent to 4.4 per cent of global net emissions (2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide), equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of 514 coal-fired power plants. If the global health care industry were counted as a country, it would be the fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world.

1.2

Major emitters in the health care industry?

The health care industry in the United States, China and the European Union ranks among the top three in terms of emissions, accounting for 56% of the total climate footprint of the global health care industry. The top 10 emitters in the health care industry account for 75% of the climate footprint of the global health care industry. In terms of both absolute and per capita emissions, the health sector of the United States ranks first in the world, with per capita emissions 57 times that of India. Although India's health sector ranks seventh in absolute emissions in the world, it has the lowest per capita emissions among the 43 countries considered in detail in this report. The per capita greenhouse gas emissions of China's health sector are six times that of India, while the per capita greenhouse gas emissions of China's health system are only less than those of the United States, South Korea and the European Union.

1.3

Despite significant differences in the size of national health sectors, they emit greenhouse gases directly and indirectly while providing care and procuring products, services and technologies from carbon-intensive supply chains. The health care industry produces greenhouse gas emissions through energy consumption, transport, product manufacturing, use and disposal. Direct emissions from health care facilities and owned vehicles in the health care industry account for 17 per cent of the industry's global emissions. Indirect emissions from energy purchased, such as electricity, steam, cooling and heating, account for 12 per cent of the industry's global emissions. 71 per cent of emissions come mainly from the health care supply chain that produces, transports and handles goods and services involving medicines and other chemicals, food and agricultural products, medical equipment, hospital equipment, instruments, etc. 3Compact 4's medical emissions, including its supply chain, are generated domestically, which means that about 1 gamble 4's medical emissions are generated outside the country where health care products are ultimately consumed. Fossil fuel consumption is the core of emissions from the health care industry, and energy (mainly fossil fuel combustion) accounts for more than half of the health care climate footprint.

1.4

The footprint of the health care industry is related to health expenditure.

There is a strong but not absolute correlation between the climate footprint of a country's health sector and the country's health expenditure. In general, the higher the percentage of expenditure to a country's gross domestic product (GDP), the higher the per capita emissions of health care in the country. Other factors are also very important, especially the economic energy intensity of a country and the emission intensity of its energy system.

If growth and investment in the health sector are in line with the new trajectory of zero emissions, even if health expenditure increases, the climate footprint of the health care industry can be significantly reduced. This vision can link the development goals of the health sector, such as universal health coverage, to the global climate goals.

2? The health sector must be responsible for its climate footprint

The health care industry must respond to growing climate emergencies, not only to treat those who are sick, injured or dying as a result of the climate crisis and its causes, but also to implement primary prevention and fundamentally reduce their emissions.

The Health Care Climate Initiative, in line with the ambitions of the Paris Agreement, will require facilities, systems and sectors of the health sector to work with manufacturers and suppliers of health care products and services to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The health sector must make efforts in this regard while achieving global health goals, such as universal health coverage, and working towards sustainable development goals. A number of health systems in several countries are already moving towards decarbonization and have become role models for the sector.

3?? Six actions for climate smart health care

Action 1 Mel-reduce the climate footprint of the health care industry now. Health sector actors at all levels can continue to build on the ongoing work of thousands of hospitals and health systems that are already addressing their climate footprints to form a path to net zero emissions. Key steps that can be taken under the greenhouse Gas Protocol (Greenhouse Gas Protocol) include: 1 immediate action to reduce emissions from health-care facilities. 2 invest in and promote decarbonization of local and national energy systems, as well as the use of clean and renewable energy. (3) formulate and implement low-carbon or zero-emission procurement standards to start supply chain decarbonization.

Action 2muri-support the social transition to clean and renewable energy. The health sector in each country should advocate for the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels and the transition to clean and renewable energy, thereby helping to reduce energy consumption in the health care sector to net zero emissions, while protecting public health from local pollution and global climate.

Action 3mer-draw a roadmap for the zero-emission health care industry in 2050. While defining a timetable and framework for action, it is necessary to develop a coherent global road map to identify critical paths forward. The road map should be based on the principle of global climate and health equity, a unified climate-smart mitigation and resilience approach, and ways to promote action at all levels.

Action 4mura-ensure climate intelligence for health development assistance. Bilateral aid agencies, multilateral development banks, other health funding agencies and charities should integrate climate smart principles and strategies into their health assistance, loans and policy guidance to developing countries. Institutions that provide funding for climate change mitigation and adaptation should incorporate health considerations into their projects. This should be in line with the outcome of the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit in 2019.

Action 5Mel-develop and implement a government action plan for the climate smart health care industry. National and local governments should develop action plans on the basis of existing initiatives to achieve decarbonization of the health system, enhance response capacity and improve health effectiveness. Implementation should contribute to the Government's climate policy and nationally owned contribution to the Paris Agreement. The country that bears the greatest responsibility for this problem should take the lead in demonstrating.

Action 6mo-deepen health care and climate change research. Further research is needed to better understand trends in the interaction between health care and climate change, including an analysis of the future trajectory of health care emissions, an in-depth analysis of the supply chain and its climate impact, national and local health care climate footprints, and economic and health analysis of the cost-effectiveness of the shift to climate-smart health care.

4? Conclusion

Like all sectors of society, the health sector has a responsibility to align its ac