The Global Health Connector Partnership (GHCP) will launch a working group on “Green Health” in September 2022, involving experts from healthcare, digital and environment sectors from across the world. Learn more and join us!
The Global Health Connector Partnership (GHCP) is a movement launched by the ECHAlliance in partnership with digital health leading organisations across the globe including HLTH (USA), American Telemedicine Association (USA), Health Parliament (India), the Commonwealth Centre for Digital Health (global), the Africa Health Business (Africa).
Its aim is to bring together all public and private organisations across the world to tackle the challenges that health systems are facing, to support the digital transformation of healthcare and to build resilient and future-proof systems, professionals, tools and organisations to ensure a better health and wellbeing for humanity.
The GHCP is proposing number of large flagship international events and workshops across 5 continents in order to create the discussion spaces for bold and inspired health experts, patients’ groups, health professionals, scientists, policymakers, companies, start-ups, etc. It also facilitates knowledge creation, and it promotes the innovation with experts working groups around specific themes such Disparities Globally, Digital Skills Workforce and Data and Digital Services.
The GHCP is pleased to announce the launch of a new Working Group titled “Green Health”.
Green Health?
The number 1 challenge we are currently facing is the preservation of our environment on earth. Whether we consider the climate change, the biodiversity disruption or other phenomena, the latest 2022 IPCC’s reports series is clear about the fact that human activities are the main cause of these disruptions and that the trajectory we took is driving us to a non-liveable world if we don’t re-invent and re-design our societies and the way they are organised and they operate. A number of publications and organisations have already highlighted the impact of the deterioration of our environment on human health. With impact on cardiovascular, respiratory diseases, and mental health, despite the difficulty to precisely evaluate this impact, the latest studies (Nature | 2021) estimate between 4 and 5 million excess yearly deaths due to climate change.
“Healthcare systems’ climate footprint is equivalent to 4,4% of global net emissions“
Report published by the organisations “Healthcare without harm” and ARUP
This emissions represent 514 coal-fired power plants
“If the healthcare sector was a country, it would be the 5th largest emitter on the planet“
In some countries, the healthcare systems can even account for 8% to 9% of the national CO2 emissions, such as in France or in USA.
Green Health & Digital
Focusing on digital health, our communities are also well informed on the fact that technologies can bring benefits in terms of environmental impact as for instance with telemedicine practices avoiding patients or doctors transport-related emissions. But we know as well that digital sector is contributing to Greenhouse Gas emissions (around 4% at global level) and some actions should be taken in favour of a “Green IT”.
Acting as a global connector, the GHCP will act as an open forum and platform for players of the healthcare, digital and environment sectors, to develop:
- Knowledge creation and best practices sharing activities;
- Joint actions and collaborative projects to implement game-changing eco-friendly practices and solutions.
At GHCP, we are conscious about the need to act now. A significant group of our members and communities have already developed roadmaps, actions and projects, such as in Denmark or in UK.
They are ready to take actions in order to:
- De-carbonize health systems with actions for clean and renewable energy, waste management, zero emissions buildings and infrastructures, zero emissions and sustainable mobility solutions and transport models, sustainably grown food and climate-resilient agriculture, waste management, low-carbon pharmaceuticals, medical devices and all supplies (on whole product’s lifecycle), etc.;
- Promote a Green IT for digital health through digital eco-conception methods and technics as well as low-carbon models for data management (storage and exchanges);
- Develop resilient health systems in front of climate extreme events, lack of resources (water, food), lack of energy, etc. innovating around the care models (prevention and health promotion, and supported by digital transformation such as telemedicine), governance, roadmaps and development strategies, procurements’ criteria, professionals’ training, patients’ engagement, etc.
WHO | Operational framework for building climate resilient health systems | 2016
Join us!
The GHCP’s Green Health working group will be launched in September 2022 with a kick-off webinar that will form a group of experts from the healthcare, the environment / climate change and the digital sector.
The Green Health WG will develop a series of activities such as online/physical workshops, international events, case studies and good practices showcases, collaborative innovation sessions, publication of a report on recommendations and call for actions, promotion towards policymakers and healthcare decision-makers, design of actions & projects supported by fundraising programmes, etc.
This is a call for all stakeholders (public or private organisations, for- or not-for- profit) who are interested in participating to this group.
Your participation could take a variety of format:
- Fully joining the group with your specific expertise and experience;
- Contributing with case studies, practices examples, reports or publications;
- Speaking and presenting your organisation and projects at international workshops and events;
- Engage your organisation in eco-friendly roadmaps & actions
- Receiving Green Health news, publications and recommendations… and more!
