Who shares responsibility for advancing sustainable healthcare?

Despite the urgency of the climate crisis, healthcare systems lack coordinated efforts to raise awareness and take the necessary actions to reduce health impacts from climate change and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A decentralized healthcare system - such as the one in Canada - may complicate complicate the implementation of effective, low-carbon healthcare practices. A central challenge continues to be coordinating and mobilizing health system change across diverse provincial and territorial regions facing competing health systems challenges. Although healthcare leaders and professionals acknowledge the importance of climate-resilient, low-carbon health systems, shared responsibility could be improved.

W&W strategy lead, Dr. Brittany Barber and colleagues discusses the importance of coordinated efforts, strong governance, and targeted investments for integrating climate health mitigation into healthcare practices, ensuring long-term sustainability and improving public health outcomes.