From the editor
The health of our planet and the health of its people are inseparably linked – and the healthcare sector itself plays a significant role in the climate challenge. Healthcare contributes an estimated 4% to 6% of total greenhouse gas emissions (1), a footprint comparable to that of entire countries. In fact, if healthcare were a country, it would be the 5th biggest polluter in the world (2).
This environmental impact comes from energy-intensive hospital operations, pharmaceutical production, transportation, medical equipment, and waste management. These emissions not only speed up climate change but also create health risks through pollution, especially for vulnerable groups.
Addressing healthcare’s carbon footprint is an urgent priority for European health systems trying to become more sustainable, resilient, and equitable. The European Green Deal and related EU health strategies provide important frameworks to guide this transition, encouraging Member States to reduce emissions, promote circular economy principles, and integrate environmental sustainability into healthcare policies.
In this edition of the EHFF newsletter, we spotlight key initiatives, reports, and events advancing the vital work at the intersection of health and sustainability. As professionals dedicated to shaping the future of health, our collective action can drive healthcare towards a greener, healthier future — one that safeguards both people and the planet.
Karolina Mackiewicz, ECHAlliance – The Global Health Connector
1. Cristiano, W., De Marchi, C., di Domenico, K. et al. The elephant in the room in greenhouse gases emissions: rethinking healthcare systems to face climate change. A rapid scoping review. Environ Sci Eur 36, 24 (2024).
2. Euronews, 03/08/2022
Meet at HTLH Europe 2025?
I will be attending HLTH Europe 2025 in Amsterdam June 16-19. While the conference primarily focuses on digital health innovations, it presents an opportunity to explore how technology can support sustainable healthcare practices. I look forward to connecting with EHFF members there and will share insights relevant to green health in a post-conference report.
More information about the event here – and as an extra offer, register with the code HE25_ECHALLIANCE250 to save €250 on your HLTH Europe pass.
ECHAlliance – The Global Health Connector is also a member of (ATACH) Alliance for action on climate change and health. Learn more and join us for a bigger impact!
Health Care Climate Challenge 2025 Awards
Health Care Without Harm (HWCH) is an international nongovernmental organization (NGO) that works to transform health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability, and a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice.
This year’s awards will hold special significance as they highlight the achievements of health care institutions within the context of the Challenge’s 10-Year Anniversary.
Practice Greenhealth’s Policy Pulse – Webinar
Practice Greenhealth is a US based membership and networking organization for organizations in the health care community that has made a commitment to sustainable, environmentally preferable practices. A challenge in the current political climate (no pun intended – but still…)
The webinars are a chance to stay informed about the latest climate and environmental policy trends impacting health care and hospital sustainability in the US.
Lancet Countdown on health
The 2024 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: facing record-breaking threats from delayed action – The report analyses the health impacts of climate change and the delayed actions exacerbating these effects.
The event in Brussels March 4 we shared in a previous newsletter by the Institute for European Environmental Policy with a political brief for a European Wellbeing Economy could be an interesting read to add – read more.
Practice Greenhealth’s annual sustainability benchmark report
– provides a powerful snapshot of the health care sector’s environmental progress. In 2023, nearly 430 participating facilities demonstrated remarkable sustainability achievements.
Read more
Green health: How to decarbonise global healthcare systems
Healthcare systems are major emitters of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. The resulting climate crisis harms human and planetary health and increasingly impacts lives on Earth. Because of their status as high emitters and their social role in society, healthcare systems have a clear obligation to decarbonise. This study investigates how healthcare systems worldwide can lower their greenhouse gas emissions and thereby contribute to global climate action.
A new open access journal – Green Health
Introduces a platform for research environmental sustainability and public health
Recent and upcoming events
CleanMed Europe 2025 – June 10-13, 2025
– online
Europe’s leading conference on sustainable healthcare, focusing on innovations and best practices for environmentally responsible health systems.
Fifth Global Conference on Climate and Health – July 29-31, 2025
Brasília, Brazil
This Conference is co-organized by the Government of Brazil, the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH). A strategic document outlining priority areas for health systems to strengthen climate resilience and equity, the Belém Health Action Plan, will be launched at the Conference.
And you can submit ideas for an Ideas Lab with deadline June 10 here!
18th European Public Health Conference – November 12-14, 2025
Helsinki Finland
With the overarching theme of“Investing for sustainable health and well-being”, it is expected that the sessions will address environmental health topics.
EU Green Week 2025 – Circular solutions for a Competitive EU
– June 3-5 in Brussels and online
A recurring event discussing circular economy solutions, with implications for sustainable healthcare practices.
Report from WHO Health Workforce Symposium Copenhagen
– April 28-30
The WHO Symposium dived into future models and plans – from EHFF Daniel Steenstra, Lars Münter, and Nina Sønderberg participated. Read more about the event, programme and outcome statement
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EHFF DAO
It is my view that our presentation on the Leadership panel about the EHFF 3H and DAO was one of the few, if not the only, to meet the aims, ambitions and objectives of the Symposium, and presented a possible way forward. We were only given 5 minute and frankly, I felt anxious as it was ambitious to get the breadth and depth of our work across in such a short time. I did get the main points across (see video below).
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Read short event report from Daniel Steenstra here.
Watch webinar from June 5th – Designing the Future
More Domain Experts Newsletters Coming Up
From the beginning of 2025 we’ve asked and found a series of domain experts in our forum to share their insights in the key domains they thrive in. This newsletter is the first of these. Coming newsletters will share more from these special editors and experts.
You are welcome to join this dedicated group – or just share tips or insights from previous or coming events that you think we should include in coming newsletters.
