How can health care facilities contribute to more sustainable health systems?

Abstract The health sector is responsible for a considerable share of global greenhouse gas emissions. Decarbonisation efforts need to engage all levels of the system - from the top down to the health care facility level. At health system level, greening initiatives generate co-benefits for population health by strengthening prevention, reducing low-value care and promoting greener health service delivery. At the level of health care facilities, green procurement, renovations and energy efficiency measures, active travel, better waste management and training are some of the ways in which the sector's impact can be mitigated. Adequate support, including technical support, funding and collaboration - at both country and international level - is needed to drive change. This presentation sets the scene for the subsequent panel discussion and interaction with the audience, presenting key messages from the European Observatory's policy brief ‘How can health care facilities reduce their environmental footprint and contribute to more sustainable health systems?’. Speakers/Panellists Chiara Cadeddu Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands Michelle Falkenbach European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Brussels, Belgium