In England, the NHS has pledged to become the world’s first carbon net-zero national health system by 2040. It’s fitting since there is growing evidence of the health impacts of air pollution and climate change. Thousands of people are hospitalized yearly across the country because of greenhouse gas emissions. Air pollution causes heart attacks, asthma, mental disorders, and a slew of other problems, and heatwaves are killing hundreds of people – 900 last summer alone.
The chief executive of NHS, Sir Simon Stevens, said:
2020 has been dominated by Covid-19 and is the most pressing health emergency facing us. But undoubtedly, climate change poses the most profound long-term threat to the health of the nation. It is not enough for the NHS to treat the problems caused by air pollution and climate change – from asthma to heart attacks and strokes – we need to play our part in tackling them at the source.
The NHS has already made significant progress decarbonizing our care, but as the largest employer in Britain, responsible for around 4% of the nation’s carbon emissions, if this country is to succeed in its overarching climate goals, the NHS has to be a major part of the solution.
The CEO of Asthma UK and the British Lung Foundation, Kay Boycott, said:
This landmark report represents real progress and an ambitious commitment from the NHS to reduce its carbon footprint. Climate change poses a considerable threat to lung health, with dangerous levels of pollution and extremes in hot and cold weather, which can be deadly for people with lung conditions causing symptoms to flare up and putting lives at risk.
Improving lung health and cleaning up the air we breathe has never been more critical, so it’s been a real privilege to be part of the expert panel advising on this report and ensuring that the patient voice is at the very heart of this process. We look forward to working closely with the NHS to help action their plan, including safely switching to lower carbon inhalers, maximizing virtual care gains, and reviewing and scaling back transport links to and from hospitals. We want to ensure these targets are met without compromising the care of those with lung conditions and look forward to collaborating with the NHS further to face these challenges together.
The commitment is backed by a multi-layered plan that outlines clear milestones and deliverables. By 2032, the NHS will reduce all the emissions it has control over (such as those produced by buildings, vehicles, and services) by 80%, and 100% by 2040. It also plans to reach net-zero for all emissions over which it influences (such as those linked to its supply chain and travel of staff and patients) by 2045.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said:
Cutting carbon emissions is essential to protect health, everywhere in the world. I welcome the leadership of the largest single health system globally, the National Health Service in England, in committing to be carbon neutral in its operations by 2040 and to drive emissions reductions in its suppliers and partners. Health is leading the way to a greener, safer planet.
Some example interventions to help reach the goals include:
- Minimizing patient journeys to hospitals by developing new ways of delivering care at or close to home.
- Converting the NHS fleet to zero-emissions vehicles, including emergency ambulances. It plans to road-test a green ambulance by 2022.
- Reducing waste of consumable products.
- Building new hospitals and buildings to be net-zero emissions by including renewables, for example.
- Incorporating energy conservation practices into staff training and education programs.
The incoming NHS Chief Sustainability Officer, Dr. Nick Watts, said:
The evidence that the climate emergency is a health emergency is overwhelming, with health professionals already needing to manage their symptoms. We know that 98% of NHS staff believe the health system should be more environmentally sustainable. Even during the busiest period in NHS history, the insight, enthusiasm, and commitment from those on the frontline for us to plan for the future have been exceptional.
The UK government has committed to being carbon neutral by 2050, so everyone has to play their part in reducing emissions for the target to be met. Between 4-5% of the country’s carbon footprint is caused by the health and care system. Therefore, the sector has a big responsibility in the country’s commitment – hence why the NHS aims to reach net-zero years before the deadline.
