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Green roadmap developed to tackle climate change and meet NHS net zero
As the UK marks Clean Air Day on 16 June, the Green Plan developed by The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust is set to play its part in helping the NHS cut more than 1m tonnes of C02 emissions in the next three years – the equivalent of taking 520,000 cars off the road.
NHS England has today announced that for the first time, every trust in the country now has their own roadmap to tackle climate change and meet the NHS's net zero commitments. As one of more than 200 new green plans put forward by NHS trusts, the plan by Mid Yorks sets out how we will reduce our environmental impact and help the NHS reach net zero by 2040.
With air pollution alone contributing to 1 in 20 deaths in this country a year, it is clear we are facing a health emergency as well as a climate emergency. MY Green Plan is a testament to our staff's commitment to tackling climate change, and we are proud to set out the positive actions we will take to reduce our impact on the environment and safeguard the health of our future generations.
Our Green Plan is broken down into key areas of intervention that we will be working on to bring about the changes required to achieve net zero and to make the organisation more sustainable. These areas of focus incorporates a range of actions that will be prioritised during the next three financial years, starting from April 2022.
Len Richards, Chief Executive at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “In October 2020, the NHS became the world’s first health service to commit to reaching carbon net zero, in response to the profound and growing threat to health posed by climate change. Our Green Plan is both a fantastic and ambitious document. This comprehensive plan sets the scene for the work we will undertake to our existing decarbonisation programme and in supporting our journey to achieve carbon net zero. The plan will pave the way for the development and implementation of projects and goes beyond carbon alone, with waste, community engagement, biodiversity and adapting to future climate change impacts also being integral to making us a more sustainable organisation.”
Dr Nick Watts, Chief Sustainability Officer at NHS England, added: “The NHS was the first health system in the world to commit to net zero and the outstanding innovation and commitment from Mid Yorkshire is a vital step towards achieving that aim. Doing our bit on climate change will directly improve public health and reduce health inequalities, cutting deaths caused by air pollution and ensuring a healthier future for our children.”