Healthcare contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. This is in particular due to energy use in hospitals, waste (e.g. disposables), the use of anaesthetic gases, and the production, transport and use of medicines and medical devices. 

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from healthcare involves many parties within and outside the sector, in the Netherlands and abroad, requiring far-reaching changes. Many factors must be taken into account, such as supply chains, financing (costs of cleaner products and practices), patient safety, regulation (professional standards to be met by practices), behavioural changes, etc.

In this project, SEVEN investigates how system-level change can reduce the climate impact of healthcare. In the first phase, we identify existing knowledge, practices and plans to reduce the climate impact of the healthcare sector, taking hospitals and the organisations in their networks and value chains as starting points. Based on that inventory, we will carry out several concrete projects to achieve acceleration, in close cooperation between the Amsterdam UMC and all faculties of the UvA, including ACTA.

This SEVEN project will present concrete insights and proposals to reduce climate impact in the healthcare sector. Solutions will be assessed and adapted where necessary with a view to scalability and replicability. It will also sketch a roadmap for a sustainable healthcare system in 2050.