‘If you’re a healthcare professional and if you care about people, you invariably care about the environment as well and the impact that has on people.’
That’s what Wendy Cheeseman, Head of Sustainability at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said in this week’s Big Zero Briefing.
Wendy believes health and net zero are inextricably linked.
She said: ‘If you’re a healthcare professional and if you care about people, you invariably care about the environment as well and the impact that has on people.
‘So the biggest determinant of people’s health is the environment in which they live. We have a saying in the NHS that lower emissions equal lower admissions.
‘So we absolutely understand that any decision we make today and any carbon that we pump out into the environment will impact the health of the populations that we serve locally, nationally and globally.’
Carbon Brief reports that healthcare of the world’s largest economies accounts for 4.4% of global CO2 emissions.
According to the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, the impact of climate change on human health is so severe that it should be considered the major threat of the 21st century.
However, the NHS states that it is committed to becoming the world’s first net zero national health service by reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 80 percent between 2028-2032.
How will this reduction in emissions help with the health and performance of your employees? Find out at the Big Zero Show.
Make sure you check out the latest Net Hero Podcast episode:
Net zero is a way to cut your costs and help the planet, so what’s stopping you? Often, it’s just the right help and advice. That’s what we will provide at the Big Zero Show this July. Workshops, expert speakers, case studies and exhibitions. Plus, networking with 1500 peers and potential customers. Register for free now.
