Climate change and healthcare

Did you know?

• The carbon footprint of the NHS was 24.9 megatonnes of CO₂ in 2022. This is already a 26% reduction on the NHS carbon footprint since 1990. However, it is equal to 4% of the total carbon footprint of England and more than the entire carbon footprint of smaller European countries such as Croatia.
• The largest contributor of carbon emissions within the NHS is medicines, medical equipment and supply chain.
• Medical equipment and supply chain contributes 62% to the NHS carbon footprint. This is followed by direct carbon emissions from the NHS vehicle fleet, fossil fuel usage, anaesthetic gases and inhalers, water and building energy at 24%, and personal travel of staff, patients and visitors at 9%.

Sources of carbon emissions by proportion of NHSCarbon Footprint Plus., taken from the NHS Greener Strategy paper: Delivering a ‘Net Zero’ National Health Service

Now carry on to the next step to test your knowledge of the carbon footprint of healthcare.