Health Care Without Harm (HCWH)’s Global Road Map for Health Care Decarbonization is now available in Greek and Italian, in addition to English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese.

Published in 2021 in collaboration with Arup, the Road Map is the first of its kind to chart a global healthcare course to zero emissions by 2050. The Road Map is accompanied by detailed factsheets with information on the health sector emissions of 68 countries and recommendations for achieving zero emissions healthcare. The factsheets for Greece, Portugal, and Italy are now also available in the countries’ languages.

Healthcare’s climate footprint is substantial, equaling 4.4% of net global emissions. Without climate action, by 2050 healthcare’s climate emissions will more than triple to over six gigatons a year, equivalent to the annual emissions of 770 coal-fired power plants. 

If countries meet their Paris Agreement commitments, this could cut the projected healthcare emissions growth by 70%, which still leaves a large gap to zero emissions. The Road Map demonstrates how healthcare can implement seven high-impact actions to further reduce sector emissions by 44 gigatons over 36 years, equivalent to keeping more than 2.7 billion barrels of oil in the ground each year.

The Road Map also identifies distinct trajectories for healthcare decarbonisation for different nations, following the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. This means high-income countries with high emissions healthcare systems will need to decarbonise quicker, whilst low- and middle-income countries can implement climate-smart solutions to develop their health infrastructure following a less steep trajectory to zero emissions.

Read the full report in Greek, Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese.

HCWH Europe gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the European Commission's (EC) LIFE Programme for the translation of the Global Road Map for Health Care Decarbonization into Greek and Italian.