All around the world, at health care facilities large and small, urban and rural, Health Care Climate Challenge participants are leading the transformation to climate-smart health care. By using their innovation, ingenuity, investments and voice, they are reducing their climate footprint, developing low-carbon models of care, adapting to stand resilient to a changing climate and advocating for policies to protect the future health of the planet.
In September of 2019, the Climate Challenge reached its 200th participant with the signing of the pledge by 3 health care institutions from Europe: CHU Grenoble Alpes, Manchester University NHS Trust, and the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
These 200 participating health care institutions come from over 30 countries and represent more than 18,000 hospitals and health centers. Participating institutions are as diverse as they are numerous, ranging from small, rural health services to large urban health systems.
By 2019 Challenge participants had:
- Collectively reported commitments to reduce their carbon emissions by more than 34 million metric tons—the equivalent of both a year of carbon emissions from 9 coal fired power plants;
- Saved an estimated U.S. $3.2 billion in health costs related to air pollution; and
- Saved U.S. $394 million through energy efficiency and renewable energy generation.
