Government finds funds to help reduce health industry emissions

Advocacy by the AMA, and partners Doctors for the Environment, has seen a budget commitment to create a National Health Sustainability & Climate Unit. 

The establishment of the unit is the first step towards the health care system achieving net zero emissions by 2040, which is the target set by both the AMA and DEA.

From this unit, the AMA and DEA want to see all health departments across Australia working together to reduce emissions and elevate sustainable practices in health care. 

The health system needs to do its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the creation of the unit is a good first step. Australia’s healthcare system contributes to 7 per cent of Australia’s carbon emissions.

In the federal budget announced this week the government said it would fund a National Health and Climate Strategy, allocating $3.4 million over four years (and $0.7 million per year ongoing) to develop the strategy and establish the National Health Sustainability and Climate Unit.

There is rapidly growing support in the health profession for the Australian healthcare sector to significantly reduce its carbon footprint and be a leader in environmentally sustainable healthcare

The AMA and DEA have an interim goal of an 80 per cent reduction by 2030 — a commitment that the AMA and DEA has led.

This won’t be limited to decreasing energy use and waste, but will extend to better procurement decisions, improved infrastructure and planning, public and preventive health care, and innovative care pathways.