Key Actions to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by U.S. Hospitals and Health Systems

Climate change is increasingly affecting people's health, which has direct consequences for the health care system [1]. At the same time, the health care system is contributing to climate change. In the U.S., health care accounts for nearly 20% of GDP, making it a major consumer of resources, and as a result, a major producer of waste and greenhouse gases. In fact, the U.S. health sector is responsible for approximately 8.5% of U.S. carbon emissions [2]. These emissions stem from:

Compared to other health care systems globally, the U.S. is among the top emitters of carbon, and is responsible for 25% of global health sector emissions, which is the greatest proportion among all global health sectors [4].

To address these impacts, the NAM Climate Collaborative Health Care Delivery Working Group developed a shortlist of key actions for hospitals and health systems to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The following actions could be utilized by any hospitals or health systems starting their journey to reach decarbonization goals.

Any questions can be directed to [email protected].

The following list provides specific actions that hospitals and health systems can take to set and meet goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

1. Establish an executive-level sustainability team with broad representation across operational and clinical lines. Engage staff, leaders, clinicians, boards, and patients to achieve goals.

2. Perform a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and actionable Scope 3 emissions (e.g., business travel, employee commuting, waste), with an aim for whole organization accounting.

3. Establish specific decarbonization goals. For example, this may include a goal of 10% GHG reduction annually across all operations, aiming to achieve 50% reduction by 2030 and net zero by 2050 or sooner [5][6][7].

4. Develop an implementation plan for your decarbonization goals with documented milestones and deliverables to measure and track progress.

Disclaimer: This document was prepared by Kathy Gerwig (Health Care Without Harm) Hardeep Singh, Michael E. DeBakey (VA Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine), Jodi Sherman (Yale School of Medicine, Yale Center on Climate Change and Health, and Yale-New Haven Health System), Walt Vernon (Mazzetti), and Beth Schenk (Providence St. Joseph Health), who are members of the Health Care Delivery Working Group of the NAM Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the Health Care Sector) and Jessica Marx, (National Academy of Medicine); and reviewed by members of the Action Collaborative. Statements in this document do not necessarily reflect the views of all members of the Action Collaborative; the NAM; or the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). The document is intended to help inform and stimulate discussion. It is not a report of the NAM or the NASEM. Copyright by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.