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The National Health Service needs to act now to reduce its massive carbon footprint of over 18 million tonnes of CO2 a year, its leaders have warned.
NHS chiefs have spelt out the stark warning in a letter sent out to all the organisation’s key decison-makers today.
The letter argues climate change is the greatest public health challenge facing the 21st century and, with a carbon footprint larger than many large cities, the NHS must spearhead change as the UK public sectors biggest single carbon emitter.
In the joint letter signed by Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, President of UK Faculty of Public Health (FPH), David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive, David Pencheon, Director of the NHS Sustainable Development Unit, and Steve Barnett, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, the NHS is being told that with strong leadership and the right action it has the potential to make huge reductions and significant savings in lives and money.
To help the NHS become the leader of change – and meet and exceed the Governments targets on emissions – FPH, the NHS Sustainable Development Unit and the NHS Confederation have produced a new 30-page handbook with practical guidance for NHS leaders on reducing their organisations carbon footprint.
The guide, written by independent consultant Jenny Griffiths and Lindsey Stewart of the FPH, focuses on so-called mitigation and adaptation strategies
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