Published 16 March 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b933
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;338:b933

Feature

Environment

Saving the planet as well as lives

¹ London

Analysis, doi:10.1136/bmj.b609

The NHS has committed to reducing its carbon footprint, but has it got the influence required to produce the necessary changes? Andrew Cole reports

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

It is fair to say that carbon reduction has not had a high priority in the NHS compared with waiting lists, hospital acquired infections, and general practice opening hours. But the recent launch of the new NHS carbon reduction strategy,¹ fronted by chief executive David Nicholson, might be about to change that.

The report by the NHS Sustainable Development Unit includes some eye popping figures about the carbon waste in the English health service, which amounted to 18.6 million tonnes in 2004, equivalent to a quarter of all public sector emissions and 3.2% of the country’s total footprint.

But what will really concentrate minds are the targets. Despite the fact that in the past 20 years the health service’s emissions rose by 40%, it is now committed to reversing that trend and cutting them by 10% by 2015 and a staggering 80% by 2050.

If that is to happen one . . . [Full text of this article]

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