How can 2.8 million pairs of feet make less of a footprint?

With 1.3 million employees and 1.5 million patients travelling to and from NHS facilities every day, it's no wonder that 5% of the UK's transportation-related carbon emissions are attributable to the organisation. This translates to mean that the NHS is responsible for over 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum. So, what can be done to reduce this by at least 600,000 tonnes to meet our target for 2050? And how can we protect the health of our nation, without damaging the health of our planet? These are exactly the sort of questions our leaders are tackling every day.

Sustainable development

It’s our ambition to be the most visible and effective public sector exemplar in sustainable development, and more specifically in carbon reduction. To do this, we need to operate economically and ethically, deliver safe and cost-effective healthcare and recognise our obligations to the health of the population and planet.

The NHS Sustainable Development Unit provides leadership, support and policy input to ensure the NHS in England is the leading public sector organisation in promoting sustainable development and mitigating climate change. Find out more at www.sdu.nhs.uk

What we are doing for the wider NHS?

The NHS Confederation has recently produced a report Taking the temperature: Towards an NHS response to global warming which examines the implications of climate change for human health and the NHS, the current targets and how NHS organisations are rising to the challenge.

Good Corporate Citizenship has been developed to encourage NHS organisations to embrace sustainable development and tackle health inequalities through their day-to-day activities. This means using NHS organisations' corporate powers and resources in ways that benefit rather than damage the social, economic and environmental conditions in which we live. Find out more at www.corporatecitizen.nhs.uk

You can also find out about The Department of Health and its strong commitment to the government's agenda for Sustainable Development by clicking here.