Climate Collaborative Steps to Decarbonization Toolkit

NAM Climate Collaborative Offers Strategies and Steps to Help Health Care Organizations Reduce Emissions 

Climate change is increasingly affecting people’s health, which has direct consequences for the health care system. At the same time, the U.S. health care system generates roughly 8.5% of the country’s carbon emissions and 25% of global health sector emissions—more than any other national health sector.  

A new resource from the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector explains clear and effective steps that health care organizations can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The shortlist outlines nine concrete actions your hospital or health system can take to start decarbonizing and implement high impact interventions. Next, put those steps into action with Carbon Accounting 101, a recorded webinar series that covers the basics of carbon accounting—the process of measuring, tracking, and reporting an organization’s greenhouse gas emissions—and includes real-world examples to learn from. 

These resources can help organizations identify the next steps to take at all stages of their decarbonization journeys. Using these resources together, hospitals and health systems will be prepared to take efficient and effective action to reduce their carbon footprints and protect the health of the communities they serve.