Carbon footprinting and action planning for Health professionals
1
Special interest group: Climate, Energy and Health, Public Health Association of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
2
Data science, Healthcare without Harm, Hyderabad, India
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The health sector is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for approximately 5% of total emissions globally1. This contribution is paradoxical to the sector’s ethical mandate to “do no harm”, as climate change poses substantial risks to population health and health system resilience. Health institutions will benefit from developing climate mitigation strategies as they are central to dealing with the climate crisis. The starting point is calculating greenhouse gas emissions to determine baselines.
METHODS:
The session will give an outline on the Climate Impact Checkup Tool, which estimates greenhouse gas emissions from health care institutions globally. The capacity-building intervention provides participants with a structured overview of GHG emissions, including key concepts, sources, and accounting principles, followed by hands-on training in the use of the tool, a globally recognized GHG accounting tool for the health sector2. Participants, including health professionals, researchers, and representatives from Ministries of Health will engage in practical exercises to emissions estimation. The approach is a practical, skills-building session that looks at aspects of the tool and its application for research as well as evidence for informing policy.
RESULTS:
Participants demonstrate an enhanced understanding of the interlinkages between climate change and health, as well as the health sector’s role in contributing to and mitigating emissions. Facility and country-level stakeholders identify their primary emission sources, establish emissions baselines, and acquire the skills necessary to calculate facility-level GHG footprints to inform evidence based planning and identifying priorities.
CONCLUSIONS:
By enabling health facilities and national stakeholders to quantify emissions and develop data-driven mitigation strategies, such interventions will support integration of climate action into health system planning and policy. A practical skills building session allows participants to identify the starting point and their role in climate action.
The health sector is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for approximately 5% of total emissions globally1. This contribution is paradoxical to the sector’s ethical mandate to “do no harm”, as climate change poses substantial risks to population health and health system resilience. Health institutions will benefit from developing climate mitigation strategies as they are central to dealing with the climate crisis. The starting point is calculating greenhouse gas emissions to determine baselines.
METHODS:
The session will give an outline on the Climate Impact Checkup Tool, which estimates greenhouse gas emissions from health care institutions globally. The capacity-building intervention provides participants with a structured overview of GHG emissions, including key concepts, sources, and accounting principles, followed by hands-on training in the use of the tool, a globally recognized GHG accounting tool for the health sector2. Participants, including health professionals, researchers, and representatives from Ministries of Health will engage in practical exercises to emissions estimation. The approach is a practical, skills-building session that looks at aspects of the tool and its application for research as well as evidence for informing policy.
RESULTS:
Participants demonstrate an enhanced understanding of the interlinkages between climate change and health, as well as the health sector’s role in contributing to and mitigating emissions. Facility and country-level stakeholders identify their primary emission sources, establish emissions baselines, and acquire the skills necessary to calculate facility-level GHG footprints to inform evidence based planning and identifying priorities.
CONCLUSIONS:
By enabling health facilities and national stakeholders to quantify emissions and develop data-driven mitigation strategies, such interventions will support integration of climate action into health system planning and policy. A practical skills building session allows participants to identify the starting point and their role in climate action.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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