NHS Carbon Footprint
According to the latest carbon footprint report NHS carbon emissions have stopped rising and are levelling off at 20 million tonnes per year (see Carbon Footprint Report Published 2012 below).
There are a number of reasons why emissions have stopped rising. These are down to NHS organisations cutting carbon, improvements in NHS building energy efficiency and also because of the NHS health service spending review.
The latest NHS Carbon Footprint was commissioned as part of the SDU's Sustainability in the NHS: Health Check 2012 publication.
The NHS England carbon footprint is measured in CO2 equivalent (CO2e).
CO2e refers to six greenhouse gases including CO2. Measuring NHS emissions in this way is not only in line in with latest conventions but also means the six greenhouse gases can be compared on a like for like basis relative to one unit of CO2.
The first NHS England carbon footprint was published in 2009 and was 18 million tonnes. However, any rise since then is primarily due to an increase in the growth in NHS services and also because the footprint now measures six greenhouse gases rather than just one.
In 2009 the ground breaking research commissioned by the NHS Sustainable Development Unit and the Sustainable Development Commission enabled the full consumption-based footprint to be calculated for the NHS in England for the first time. It formed the evidence base for the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy.
In 2010 the SDU published an Update to the NHS England carbon footprint indicating the new figures.
The footprint (in a basic form) is composed of building energy (24%), travel (17%) and procurement (59%).
Despite an increase in efficiency, the NHS has increased its carbon footprint by 40% since 1990.
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