Hospitals, health centers, and health systems around the world are joining with cities, businesses, and higher education to increasingly deploy solar, wind, and other sources of clean, renewable energy.
Health facilities are transitioning to 100 percent clean electricity because:
- Renewable energy is healthy energy and protects patients and communities from fossil fuel pollution and climate change.
- Renewable energy can save health facilities money by providing a fixed cost for a long-term energy supply.
- Onsite renewable energy can help a health facility maintain power when extreme weather hits.
Health Care Without Harm is bringing together health care institutions from around the world to join a multi-sectoral commitment to transition to 100 percent renewable electricity (RE100).
- To achieve this goal, health institutions must commit to either produce or procure 100 percent renewable electricity for their operations by 2050. Acceptable renewable energy sources include biomass (including biogas), geothermal, solar, water, and wind.
- Health institutions can share this commitment to going RE100 and pledge to foster climate-smart, low-carbon health care by joining the Health Care Climate Challenge.
Health care institutions who make the pledge will be recognized in an announcement by Dr. Aparna Bole, a member of Health Care Without Harm’s board of directors, at the Global Climate Action Summit in September.
Renewable energy leaders
Dr. Maria Neira, World Health Organization
Listen to Dr. Maria Neira, World Health Organization director of public health, environmental and social determinants of health, discuss how access to 100 percent renewable energy promotes health by improving air quality.
Jeff Thompson, Gundersen Health System
Discover why Gundersen Health System was the first health system to become energy independent by relying on a mix of local renewable energy sources.
Kathy Gerwig, Kaiser Permanente
Hear from Kathy Gerwig, Kaiser Permanente vice president of environmental stewardship, about why Kaiser Permanente made the decision to go RE100 to protect their patients from the health impacts of climate change.
Dr. Peter Sainsbury, Climate and Health Alliance
Hear Peter Sainsbury, Climate and Health Alliance president, discuss ways you can champion the transition to RE100 in your city.