Budapest Workshop on Environmental Sustainability in the Health Sector

Our final workshop of 2014 took place in Budapest, Hungary on 25 November 2014. We co-hosted this event with Semmelweis University, Hungary's oldest medical university and largest healthcare institution. The focus of the workshop was Environmental sustainability in the health sector: European practices and Hungarian potential

Fifteen speakers in total presented their work on sustainable practices from all areas of the health sector. The audience heard about a wide range of topics, including green building design, sustainable procurement and energy efficiency. Three panel discussions followed: 'Energy management in healthcare', 'Environmentally-friendly healthcare facilities: Design, procurement and management' and 'EU Funds at the Service of Healthcare Energy Investments in Hungary'. Presentations from the event can be viewed online.

Sharing experiences from the HCWH Europe network 

Two speakers from Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) Europe took part in the opening session of the workshop. Executive Director Anja Leetz spoke about environmental sustainability in the health sector and HCWH Europe's work. Climate Policy and Membership Officer Kornelia Bagi then gave a presentation on the effect of sustainable public procurement on reducing the carbon footprint of the health sector.

Several of HCWH Europe's members also presented their work. The following speakers took part: Ann Marie Cross, Health Service Executive (HSE), Ireland; Anna Palminger, Region Skåne, Sweden; and Annegret Dickhoff, BUND-Berlin (Friends of the Earth Germany).

Best practice from across Europe

The truly international nature of the conference proved to be an asset. Attendees heard presentations by speakers from organisations based in 8 EU Member States. As a result, examples of best practice in the health sector from across Europe were shared with the predominantly Hungarian audience. 

HCWH Europe would like to thank all the attendees and speakers who joined us in Budapest. We would also like to thank our co-hosts the Health Services Management Training Center of Semmelweis University for their invaluable help in organising this workshop.  


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