Decarbonizing healthcare is critically important if we are to mitigate the effects of climate change, create more sustainable environments and forge healthier societies. But what is happening in different places and what are the challenges they are facing and solutions they are using?
Healthcare buildings perform a critical role in communities around the world. But their facilities are also among the most carbon intensive in terms of their operation and construction, and indirectly via the wider healthcare supply chain.
Overall, the healthcare sector is responsible for almost 5% of global carbon emissions. There is an urgent need to reduce this contribution and align it with the target of net-zero emissions – the globally agreed goal that we must meet to limit the average temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Against this backdrop, ARTISTA has assessed how nine very different healthcare systems, on six continents, are embarking on their decarbonization journeys. This white paper details their progress, looking at the strategies and solutions being adopted, as well as aspirations for the future, within the context of their political, economic and environmental landscapes.
The nine healthcare systems covered were Australia, Canada, India, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. By looking at these systems and the steps that they have taken to decarbonize, it is clear that the global health sector is keen to play its part – even if the approaches adopted by each system may look different.
Key Takeaways from “Nature at a Tipping Point”
(i) 53% of the Asia Pacific’s gross value added has a higher or moderate direct dependence on nature.
(ii) Agriculture, Construction, Food & Beverage, Fisheries, and Aquaculture have higher dependency.
(iii) 58% of regional market capitalization is either moderately or highly directly dependent on nature.