The Health Service Executive (Ireland) and the National Environment-Health Action Plan (Belgium) are working with HCWH Europe and Arup on ‘Operation Zero’ – a ground-breaking project to put the European healthcare sector on the path to net-zero carbon emissions. These new partnerships build on the network’s successful collaboration with Portugal, the Netherlands, and the Lazio region in Italy in 2022.

Recent findings from the first-ever European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) highlight the urgent need for Europe to take climate action, as it’s the fastest warming continent in the world and unprepared for rapidly growing climate risks. The healthcare sector has a crucial role to play in driving the system change necessary to achieve a future that protects the health of both people and planet.

“Without immediate and co-ordinated action at the system level, healthcare’s climate footprint could triple by 2050. We’re therefore delighted that Belgium and Ireland have joined the Operation Zero project, demonstrating their commitment to driving climate action in their healthcare sectors,” said Will Clark, executive director at HCWH Europe.

“Our vision is that every European country develops a healthcare decarbonisation plan, and our Operation Zero methodology will put them on the road to achieving that.”

A healthcare decarbonisation roadmap is a strategic plan that sets out actions required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the transition to a zero-emissions healthcare system. It provides an overview of current emissions and models a future trajectory to reduce them. The roadmap serves as a guide to policymakers, healthcare institutions, and healthcare staff on what is involved in transitioning to a climate-smart healthcare system.

In partnering with Ireland and Belgium to generate national climate footprints and decarbonisation roadmaps for their healthcare systems, HCWH Europe is using the Operation Zero methodology, ‘Designing a net-zero roadmap for healthcare’. This framework provides guidance on how to calculate a carbon footprint, model emissions trajectories, and develop the appropriate governance structures to support the process.

“The reality is that the climate crisis is a health crisis, and the healthcare sector is a considerable contributor to net global emissions,” said Dr Philip Crowley, national director for strategy and research and national lead for climate action strategy, at the Health Service Executive, Ireland. “We want to make sustainability core to our future decisions and ensure that it’s embedded into our everyday ways of working and culture to protect the health and wellbeing of future generations. To help us accurately measure our carbon footprint, we’re delighted to partner with HCWH Europe.”

A health system-level community of practice

HCWH Europe is also developing a community of practice of health authorities endeavouring to drive decarbonisation within the European healthcare sector. These bodies will help refine the methodology and ensure it’s applicable to health systems across Europe and beyond.

“Globally, countries are recognising the health sector’s significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions,” said Vincent Melis, chair of the Belgian National Low Carbon Health System Working Group.

“Prioritising the decarbonisation of health systems is a preventive measure, protecting healthcare systems from the health impacts of climate change they will need to treat in future. Taking immediate climate action allows us to transform today’s healthcare services so they don’t create tomorrow’s patients.”