This project is completed. HCWH Europe’s climate-smart healthcare project helped to develop the Mediterranean as a best-practice region for low-carbon healthcare in Europe.
Climate Strategies and Plans Economy Energy Transition and Climate-Neutral Buildings
Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain
10/19 - 12/21
Private sector, EU institutions, National governments
248,406.00 €
Mireia Figueras Alsius
The global healthcare sector’s climate footprint is equivalent to 4.4% of global net greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, which negatively impacts the health of the very communities the sector serves. There is, therefore, a powerful incentive for the healthcare sector to take action – firstly to reduce the volume of its greenhouse gas emissions, and secondly to become a leading advocate for societal and political action on climate change.
As global temperatures are increasing so are the negative health impacts and the Mediterranean region already faces specific threats from climate change (e.g. extreme heat waves and rising sea levels), but also has many opportunities to prevent or reduce emissions (e.g. solar energy and energy efficient cooling). The project aimed to address these opportunities and challenges and to facilitate the transition to low-carbon healthcare by working with hospitals in the Mediterranean region.
The project helped participating hospitals to establish internal carbon management teams and plans, facilitated knowledge and best practice sharing, and encouraged replication across the Mediterranean region through a low-carbon healthcare toolkit that can be used by other hospitals. The toolkit was presented alongside case studies from participating hospitals at the 2021 European Healthcare Climate Summit (EHCS) hosted in the Mediterranean region.
The project also developed policy recommendations in consultation with a broad range of relevant stakeholders from within and outside of the Mediterranean healthcare sector. These policy recommendations helped to identify legislative changes necessary to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon healthcare sector in the region.
Last update: February 2025