Why is it important?
Almost 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions are produced by the healthcare industry. If healthcare was a country, it would be the top 5 emitter of greenhouse gas emissions. (1) In the US, it represents 7.6% of greenhouse gas emissions, 5.4% in the UK, 1.5% in India, and 1.9% in Indonesia. (2) This amount is expected to increase as the sector grows due to global health crises, aging populations, and increasing access to healthcare in developing countries. (3)
Globally, supply chain emissions make up an estimated 71% of the carbon footprint of healthcare. (4) For the NHS (National Health Service) in the UK, procurement is responsible for more than 60% of emissions. (5) In general, the majority of emissions of health care supply chains are generated in early stages, i.e. raw materials extraction and production processes. In the case of small molecule and biologic drugs, around 50-80% of the impact is estimated to occur there. (6)
What's the solution?
Reducing the climate and environmental impact of medical procurement should always start by an analysis of hotspots: Which are the top suppliers and top products with the highest climate and environmental impact? If emission data is not (yet) available, spend data is sufficient as a proxy.
Organisations will typically focus on a combination of measures at supplier and product level. At a supplier level this involves, for example, asking all (top) suppliers to commit to, implement, and report on a decarbonisation plan in line with science and ideally validated by an independent third-party, such as the Science Based Targets initiative. At a product level, depending on the category, different measures will be applicable, as explored further in the individual solution factsheets.
In general, healthcare facilities that are seeking to reduce the climate and environmental impact of their supply chain, should apply the 5R strategy: Refuse/rethink (unnecessary procedures), reduce (unnecessary consumption), reuse (products and buy remanufactured), repair, and recycle.
Key solutions
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#1 Pharmaceuticals
Reduce the impact of medicine by tackling overprescription, using less impactful alternatives, switching to suppliers with a decarbonisation plan, requesting product carbon footprints and reducing packaging.
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#2 Single-use plastic medical items
Use less single-use plastic items to reduce plastic waste and greenhouse gas emissions of healthcare facilities.
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#3 Medical imagining equipment
Reduce the climate and environmental impact of the manufacturing, use, and disposal of medical imaging equipment, such as MRIs, CT scanners, X-rays and ultrasound machines.
Tools and good practices
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Health Care Without Harm, Sustainable procurement in health care guide, 2020
Details what sustainable procurement is and why it is beneficial for saving time, money, resources, and health. The guide provides best practices to measure success and share progress on sustainable procurement implantation projects.
Learn more -
Sustainable Markets Initiative, Decarbonising healthcare supply chains, 2022
The report lays out emission drivers within health supply chains and presents key levers to reduce emissions.
Learn more -
Sustainable Markets Initiative, Joint supplier targets
Members of the Sustainable Markets Initiative Health Systems Task Force joined forces and published common climate and sustainability targets for suppliers. They include setting a science-based decarbonisation target by 2025.
Learn more -
WHO, ATACH Working Group on Supply Chain
The working group, facilitated by WHO, focuses on emission reductions in the supply chain. It brings together participants from member states and partners to identify and disseminate technical knowledge, good practices, and identify opportunities for collective action, among others.
Learn more
To go further
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Health Care Without Harm, Health care’s climate footprint, 2019
This paper outlines healthcare's climate footprint and proposes actions to meet Paris Agreement goals.
Learn more -
Greener NHS, Delivering a net zero NHS
This webpage outlines the NHS’s commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 for direct emissions and 2045 for indirect emissions, highlighting strategic plans, expert reviews, and continuous monitoring to reduce the healthcare sector’s carbon footprint.
Learn more
Acknowledgments
Last updated 4 September 2024.
Share your success stories, suggestions, and comments with us! contact@climateactionaccelerator.org
Sources
(1) Health Care Without Harm, ‘Health Care’s Climate Footprint’, 2019, p. 19, Available here, (accessed 24 July 2024)
(2) Health Care Without Harm, ‘Health Care’s Climate Footprint’, 2019, p. 19, Available here, (accessed 24 July 2024)
(3) O. Benedettini, “Green Servitization in the Single-Use Medical Device Industry: How Device OEMs Create Supply Chain Circularity through Reprocessing”, MDPI, Italy, Polytechnic University of Bari, 2022, Available here, (accessed 12 July 2024)
(4) Health Care Without Harm, ‘Health Care’s Climate Footprint’, 2019, p. 19, Available here, (accessed 24 July 2024)
(5) Tennison, Imogen et al., ‘Health care’s response to climate change: a carbon footprint assessment of the NHS in England’, 2021, Available here, (accessed 24 July 2024)
(6) Sustainable Markets Initiatives, “Decarbonising Healthcare Supply Chains’, 2022, p. 8. Available here, (accessed 25 June 2024).
(7) Health Care Without Harm, “Health Care’s Climate Footprint”, 2019, p. 19, Available here, (accessed 24 July 2024)
(8) Health Care Without Harm, ‘Health Care’s Climate Footprint’, 2019, p. 19, Available here, (accessed 24 July 2024)
(9) O. Benedettini, “Green Servitization in the Single-Use Medical Device Industry: How Device OEMs Create Supply Chain Circularity through Reprocessing”, MDPI, Italy, Polytechnic University of Bari, 2022, Available here, (accessed 12 July 2024)
(10) UCLA, “Waste Reduction”, Available here (accessed 24 July 2024).
Featured
Supplier engagement
Request carbon reductions at supplier level
Packaging
Procurement criteria
Credits
Cover photo: Pixabay
Single-use plastic medical items
