Health care’s climate footprint is equivalent to 4.4% of global net emissions which is same as the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 514 coal-fired power plants, according to a report, “Health Care’s Climate Footprint,” released by Health Care Without Harm, a non-governmental organisation working in the health sector to make it ecologically sustainable.
“This document provides the first-ever estimate on the health care sector’s global climate footprint. Since India’s health care industry is set to expand in a big way, it is imperative that low carbon planning is set from the beginning given the findings of the report. India is on the cusp of this incredible opportunity to showcase a low carbon health care planning and therefore be a global leader,” noted the report.
The report adds that if health sector was a country it would be the fifth largest emitter on the planet.
Top 3 emitters
Top three emitters — the United States, China, and collectively the countries of the European Union — comprise more than half the world’s total health care climate footprint (56%) while India has the seventh largest absolute health sector climate footprint as per the report.
“Health care contributes to greenhouse gas emissions through energy consumption, transport, and product manufacture, use, and disposal. The health care sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the world and significantly contributes to the climate crisis. Therefore, it must play an important role in resolving it,” states the report.
Net zero emissions
Making a series of recommendations to put the sector on a pathway to net zero emissions, the report states that people should be aligning global health goals with global climate goals.
“If we can align health care development, growth, and investment with global climate goals, the 10% of the world economy that health care represents can help drive decarbonisation and lead to a climate-smart, more equitable, and healthier future,” said the report.
